After four years without a home Brian Tagalik and Pitsiulaaq Ashoona pitched their tent outside of the Legislative Assembly to bring awareness to hidden homelessness in Iqaluit.

SA国际影视传媒淚t will give the public outcry that people need to realize the true scope of housing in Nunavut,SA国际影视传媒� said Tagalik.

Hidden homelessness includes couch surfing and temporary accommodations, but without immediate prospects for permanent housing.

Tagalik and Ashoona are common law partners and plan to sleep outside with their two children ages one and seven until their situation is remedied.

Homelessness has imposed unpredictability into their everyday lives, said Ashoona as she sat in the Legislative Assembly after a meeting with ministers and MLAs.

Lower positions including her job as a medical records clerk donSA国际影视传媒檛 come with housing.

Ashoona has worked with the Government of Nunavut (GN) for nearly 15 years in casual and relief positions in the Department of Health with no offer for an indeterminate position and the accompanying housing security.

Tagalik completed college, and Ashoona finished her first year of nursing before taking a job with the GN.

SA国际影视传媒淥nce youSA国际影视传媒檙e done your program, if you donSA国际影视传媒檛 get an (indeterminate) government job, there are no outlets for you to receive any employment that comes with housing,SA国际影视传媒� said Tagalik.

The two found themselves homeless and couchsurfing with family and friends. That has become untenable and made it even more difficult for Ashoona to get a full time position.

Being kicked out or having a rough sleep because of a rowdy homeowner can turn the next day into a write-off, she said, as her 18-month-old child poked her head outside of her amauti.

SA国际影视传媒淚f weSA国际影视传媒檙e put out in the middle of the night, we have to pack all our things and find a place to stay,SA国际影视传媒� said Ashoona. SA国际影视传媒淚f weSA国际影视传媒檙e kept up all night and barely had any sleep, ISA国际影视传媒檒l miss work in the morning.SA国际影视传媒�

Ashoona has SA国际影视传媒渁mazinglySA国际影视传媒� kept her casual employment, despite the unpredictability, said Tagalik.

As winter sets in, the family has moved their belongings into the tent, which they plan to stay in until there is a resolution to their homelessness.

On Wednesday morning, Tagalik and Ashoona met with Nunavut Housing Corporation president Terry Audla, Minister Pat Angnakak, Minister of Family Services, Elisapee Sheutiapik and MLA Adam Lightstone.

During the meeting, they discussed solutions for the familySA国际影视传媒檚 housing situation.

They were also invited to the Iqaluit Housing Authority meeting wednesday. This year, there are 10 units of public housing that are coming available through the Iqaluit Housing Association. The family hopes one will be available for them.

After years of couch surfing they had SA国际影视传媒渘owhere left to go,SA国际影视传媒� said Tagalik.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 been the toughest, most tiring, scariest, loneliest time. I donSA国际影视传媒檛 wish it on anybody, let alone a person who has two children,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Using shelters would force family to split up

While the Qimaavik WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Shelter would take in Ashoona and the children, Tagalik would be forced to a different location, he said.

The family wants to stay together, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e slept in cars, ISA国际影视传媒檝e slept in shacks. You name it ... anywhere to get my head down or my family a peaceful sleep, weSA国际影视传媒檝e done it,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淓ven when we were couchsurfing, sometimes weSA国际影视传媒檒l get up dog tired and only have a handful of hours of sleep. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 tiring and very difficult to have a routine when you donSA国际影视传媒檛 even have a place to sleep at night,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Sometimes the unstable environment housing means their eldest daughter doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 go to school, said Tagalik.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is the perfect example. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e halfway through the week and my daughter hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 been to school once because weSA国际影视传媒檙e sleeping in a tent and trying to get people to see what Inuit are living through,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

The family first added their names to the housing waitlist four year ago.

Homelessness is a SA国际影视传媒渕ajor issue across Nunavut,SA国际影视传媒� said Ashoona.

SA国际影视传媒淭here are families in small communities who wait five to 10 years for a unit,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

The GN does not have the requisite funding to fill a 3,500 unit shortfall, nor does it have perfect numbers on how many people experience homelessness, said housing corporation president Terry Audla.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople fall through the cracks and the problem is that there are just so many cracks,SA国际影视传媒� said Audla.

In every community, Audla recommends filling out an application to give a SA国际影视传媒渢ruer numberSA国际影视传媒� of who needs housing.

SA国际影视传媒淚t helps us in our cause to try and leverage more money out of the federal government,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Housing takes up 14 percent of NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 budget. Comparatively, the Ontario, the government spends .1 per cent of its budget on housing, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淭he realities are that across the territory weSA国际影视传媒檙e in a housing crisis so we need to catch up to the need at least 3,500 units. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 huge in this territory,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

The private market is SA国际影视传媒渦nattainableSA国际影视传媒� and most Nunavummiut donSA国际影视传媒檛 have access to diverse housing options, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淗ere in Nunavut its public housing, or hopefully a government job,SA国际影视传媒� said Audla.

Two years ago the federal government announced $240-million over 10 years, allowing for the construction of 40 units per year.

Currently, they are building 100 yer year but Audla anticipates it could take up to 60 years to build the number of units needed at current funding levels.