SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 no accident, our suicides, our men in jail, homelessness SA国际影视传媒� basically poverty-related issues that exist in Nunavut. Those arenSA国际影视传媒檛 accidents. Those are side effects of systems that exist, and people that benefit from those systems,SA国际影视传媒� says lawyer Sandra Inutiq.
Such was the subject of her Feb. 2 Facebook post, a 22-point, 2,000-word open letter to non-Inuit of Nunavut, which has 1,000 shares and hundreds of likes and comments: racism and the level of damage having a highly transient non-Inuit population does to Nunavut.
Her motivation was to encourage Inuit to speak up.
SA国际影视传媒淟ook at the salary disparity within government between Inuit and non-Inuit. Since Nunavut was created the gap between the average salaries of Inuit and non-Inuit has widened over time,SA国际影视传媒� said Inutiq.
Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. president Aluki Kotierk says InutiqSA国际影视传媒檚 post is respectful and factual, creates a space for discussion, and obviously hits a chord with people. Kotierk says it often takes someone who is aware of the rights they have to speak up about things.
SA国际影视传媒淎nd say, SA国际影视传媒楾his is not right.SA国际影视传媒� Having people have the courage to share the experiences that so many Inuit experience provides the space and actually gives permission for others to say, SA国际影视传媒榊es, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 true. That is the experience that I have experienced, as well,'SA国际影视传媒� said Kotierk.
SA国际影视传媒淚 read it, and I think all of it is true.SA国际影视传媒�
Kotierk recalls her frustration, when working for the Government of Nunavut, at not being able to move a file forward, and having an Inuk colleague tell her not to worry about it too much because one day that non-Inuit employee would leave, then the file could move forward.
SA国际影视传媒淲hy do we need to wait for people to leave to move things forward,SA国际影视传媒� Kotierk asks.
She also recalls the effects of a transient teacher workforce from when she was a schoolgirl in Iglulik.
SA国际影视传媒淗ow does that shape the development of the Inuk child going through the school system? Every few years, and I was always shy, theySA国际影视传媒檇 say SA国际影视传媒楢luki,SA国际影视传媒� and ISA国际影视传媒檇 just raise my eyebrows. But they didnSA国际影视传媒檛 understand what that was. They thought I was ignoring them. Then they thought I was maybe a troubled student. And ISA国际影视传媒檓 like, SA国际影视传媒業SA国际影视传媒檓 not.SA国际影视传媒� How many times do you have to go through that motion of teaching new people how to understand what is normal? Then, at some point, you donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to expend that effort.SA国际影视传媒� said Kotierk.
SA国际影视传媒淚t makes Inuit live life in a guarded way.SA国际影视传媒�
Difficult to move beyond established power dynamic
Inutiq, who says thereSA国际影视传媒檚 so much fear about speaking out, describes an unexpected result of her post SA国际影视传媒� many private messages from people about their experiences.
SA国际影视传媒淚 wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 expecting the depth of what people shared. I even had to sit on a couple of them. How do I respond? Serious, serious situations. Somebody dealing with the health system, somebody dealing with the police, where they feel that they donSA国际影视传媒檛 matter. Saying that my post made them re-think that,SA国际影视传媒� Inutiq said.
What Inutiq did expect was a lot of argument. She had braced herself for trolling, meaning she was prepared for malicious comments. She received one, and made it public. Two others, she says, werenSA国际影视传媒檛 so favourable, but werenSA国际影视传媒檛 malicious, just challenging.
SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 mind my thoughts being challenged or discussed but will not tolerate hate and malicious attacks,SA国际影视传媒� she wrote below her post.
SA国际影视传媒淲hen you talk about racism, kinds of racism and the effects of racism, the answers are quite predictable. As Indigenous people, or people of colour, we call it rebuttal bingo. You can basically check the boxes. Predictable responses are being defensive or deflecting,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
In fact, Inutiq notes there are .
SA国际影视传媒淲hich then makes it really difficult to move beyond this power dynamic. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 an uncomfortable process. We always walk on eggshells as people of colour SA国际影视传媒� trying not to upset, cause discomfort by calling racism out. Then we pent up all that.
SA国际影视传媒淔or me I canSA国际影视传媒檛 do that. I canSA国际影视传媒檛 SA国际影视传媒� Sometimes I feel like ISA国际影视传媒檒l go crazy.SA国际影视传媒�
She needed to express these thoughts, which had been percolating for some time.
SA国际影视传媒淚 see it every day. I see the oppression when I go to NorthMart and I see people begging. I see family members that are homeless, the hunger in children, the suicides,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
SA国际影视传媒淭here are so many ways where thereSA国际影视传媒檚 deprivation of economic opportunity. And thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a reason behind that.SA国际影视传媒�
Kotierk says Inutiq raises issues relevant to Article 23 of the Nunavut Agreement.
SA国际影视传媒淥ne of the things that weSA国际影视传媒檙e always wanting to see, and weSA国际影视传媒檙e advocating for, is that we want life to be better for Inuit. When she says SA国际影视传媒楧ear white people, or anyone else,SA国际影视传媒� sheSA国际影视传媒檚 opening up an invitation. We know there are many issues here, but letSA国际影视传媒檚 all work together and be aware and figure out how to make life better for Inuit,SA国际影视传媒� Kotierk said.
SA国际影视传媒淎ll the things she listed SA国际影视传媒� none of it was a surprise. I think it speaks to the way which our communities have been established, and it just a follow-up to all the power and control relationships that have created the basis of our communities, between Inuit and non-Inuit. It stems from there and it continues to this day.
SA国际影视传媒淚 think more Inuit need to be outspoken about this.SA国际影视传媒�
Premier Joe Savikataaq declined to comment.
SA国际影视传媒�(The) Premier is travelling today and has decided not to comment on this personal social media post,SA国际影视传媒� stated press secretary Catriona Macleod.
Inutiq is currently working on starting a blog.
