Treating one another as equals is something Aliqa Illauq believes in deeply, and itSA国际影视传媒檚 a sense of morality that she hopes becomes commonplace.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was taught that we all breathe the same air,SA国际影视传媒� she says. SA国际影视传媒淚 would like to see everybody go back to the basic principles that we have been born with and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 to help each other SA国际影视传媒� to have that responsibility, instead of tearing each other down because itSA国际影视传媒檚 killing people.SA国际影视传媒�

Illauq spreads messages of kindness through her growing social media presence, often speaking in Inuktitut, which was her first language in Clyde River, where she spent her childhood.

SA国际影视传媒淚 grew up in a very Inuk home, if you want to call it that,SA国际影视传媒� she says. SA国际影视传媒淚t was really important for the Elders and my family in general that our foundation was very Inuk-based.SA国际影视传媒�

Her father is an accomplished hunter who was removed from the land and assimilated into the Eurocentric Canadian system.

Her mother is qallunaaq, but capable of understanding and speaking the Inuit language.

SA国际影视传媒淔or me to get to where I am today SA国际影视传媒� who I am and how I look at the world and everything SA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檚 made up of my ancestors and everyone that ISA国际影视传媒檝e crossed paths with,SA国际影视传媒� she says.

She also conveys a strong political message in some of her Facebook and Instagram videos, offering insights into how established government practices could be reformed. The federal political structure is disconnected from the Inuit perspective of being rooted to the land, she says.

The SA国际影视传媒減oliticalSA国际影视传媒� system that resonates with her is one where people are in harmony with each other and everything around them, as opposed to the SA国际影视传媒済reedySA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒渦nrealisticSA国际影视传媒� corporate-driven approach.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think naturally I am very political. I will do whatever it takes to ensure my children have a future and everyone elseSA国际影视传媒檚 children have a future,SA国际影视传媒� says Illauq, a mother of three, ages six to 13.

SA国际影视传媒淲hat we are doing right now to the resources and the crises that we have put ourselves in as human beings, our children are going to pay for it SA国际影视传媒� the road that we are on, we wonSA国际影视传媒檛 be able to move back from it. We canSA国际影视传媒檛 put the oil back in the ground. We canSA国际影视传媒檛 take the iron ore dust out of the waters thatSA国际影视传媒檚 affecting all of the animals. So every decision we make, it is very political.SA国际影视传媒�

Former Nunavut MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq was vocal about life on Parliament Hill being an inhospitable environment because, as Illauq puts it, Ottawa doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 value an Inuk perspective or Inuk lived experience.

SA国际影视传媒淭he political system has no Indigenous principles in it,SA国际影视传媒� Illauq says.

She contended for the leadership of the Nunavut NDP during the summer of 2021, a race that Lori Idlout won. While finding flaws with all of the longstanding Canadian political parties, Illauq found the New Democrats most aligned with her philosophy of putting humanity first.

SA国际影视传媒淧olitics is a crazy, ugly game SA国际影视传媒� (with) an illusion of hierarchy,SA国际影视传媒� she says of her first foray into federal political arena while in her 30s. SA国际影视传媒淎t the same time, I understand our realities today and the political system we are in SA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檚 there.SA国际影视传媒�

From dropout to instructor

An instructor with the Nunavut Sivuniksavut Inuit post-secondary program in Ottawa, Illauq has been teaching Inuktitut and contemporary issues since January 2021. She says she finds it SA国际影视传媒渕agicalSA国际影视传媒� to watch students grow and find their voice as they grasp Inuit history, the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement and how itSA国际影视传媒檚 all intertwined with todaySA国际影视传媒檚 world.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 absolutely very fulfilling,SA国际影视传媒� she says, noting that the program has produced many Inuit leaders, including Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok and ministers Pamela Gross and Adam Lightstone. SA国际影视传媒淭hese students are so bright, theySA国际影视传媒檙e so capable SA国际影视传媒� I do get strength from them.SA国际影视传媒�

However, she also pointed out that some of the youth have overcome difficult circumstances to get there, while others are unable to overcome numerous disadvantages.

SA国际影视传媒淲e need to change something here. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 too many of our relations that have committed suicide. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 too many children that have really horrific health issues because of the condition of the home. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 so much PTSD,SA国际影视传媒� she says.

As for her own education, Illauq was a high school dropout, struggling with SA国际影视传媒淲estern academics.SA国际影视传媒� But, years later, she enrolled at Carleton University in Ottawa as a mature student. It wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 a miraculous turnaround. She had difficulty doing research and writing essays and she failed her first legal studies exam SA国际影视传媒渕iserably.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淏ut I learned,SA国际影视传媒� she recalls. SA国际影视传媒淎s a result, I ended up doing a combined honours in law and human rights and social justice with a minor in Indigenous studies, got a bunch of scholarships and just learned along the way.SA国际影视传媒�

As International WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Day is marked on March 8, Illauq didnSA国际影视传媒檛 name a specific female figure who she admires, when asked. She says she possesses just as much esteem for a person begging for money on the street as anyone else.

SA国际影视传媒淪ome of them are lucky just to get a nice hot meal a day, and theySA国际影视传媒檙e still able to smile and show compassion. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 an inspiration. It amazes me,SA国际影视传媒� she says. SA国际影视传媒淎t the end of the day, most of them will show more love than the corporate CEO and theySA国际影视传媒檒l be more trustworthy. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 one of my biggest inspirations: watching people rise above their hurt and just having the opportunity to listen to them.SA国际影视传媒�