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I wrote a little entry the other day and posted it on my blog last night. Since my readership is non-existant, I thought I could bring it up here to discuss.

What do you think Canada should be doing to solve the problems of Nunavut (or many other communities of aboriginals, really)?

My post becomes a bit more pertinent as other stories crop up in the news. I'm especially curious because in my brief time here I've seen some heated partisan discussion, and this is the sort of subject that should split conservative and liberal opinions.

So what is our responsibility to these communities?

   

We fight for these land against the Iroquois ... Nous les Français, we help the Algonquins and the Huron to survive many times against Iroquois attack. And the other day, an Huron Leader said that Ville de Québec land was their land. What more can i say?

   

These people never stop to say to us that they want to be on their own but always ask for help. I don't understand this. At least, pay taxes if u wanna be help. Do they want a cherry on top with this. Do they want us to construct their city, give them a reason to live, create for them program of many kind and ect. Im sorry but im tired about this. Québec government never stop to give them financial help and they thanks us by asking more and more. We give 11 Milliards de dollards to them the other day cause we built un Barrage on their '' territory''. What they do with this money? Do they help each other and construct houses, water supplies , create program? No .... a big NOTHING!

   

Ullakut.
First you have to understand their way of life is nothing like ours.
Also their a new province and will have growing pains but they are now responsible for their province instead of Ottawa telling them what to do.

I know alcohol is a problem even though it's a dry province.It can still be bought allthough a 26 of whiskey is $150.00.

I think the abuse is because unless your a traditional Inuk living the old ways there's not much to do.
With the diamond and gold mines still in their infancy there these problems will start to be recognized soon once more people start working in Nunavut or calling it home.

They also cherish their kids to the point that they rarely ever discipline them. It's not rare to see the kids going up and down main street on their quads or sleds all night long on a school night.At first I thought it was very strange but they do it all the time.

The natives in most of Canada were assimiliated into our culture and the white mans ways and look how that worked out.Reserves in Alberta are proof that it didnt work out that well.
Same in Nunavut,the missionaries had a very profound effect on their culture but survival was still up to the natives and took first priority and thats why they still stick to the old ways.Most dont expect anyone else to help them out or look after them.

The Innuit are different,they think of themselves as "the people" the first ones here.
Their also very very proud people.

My opinion may change as I spend more time with them but their not like any other natives I have worked with.
Here's a site with some good reading on Nunavut.http://www.nunavut.com/nunavut99/english/our.html

   

Most never asked for the white man to interfere with them in the first place.
Nunavut will soon be a richer province than Quebec I think.

The Canadian govt. used to make them wear these,E was for east and W was for west,lose it and no assistance for you.

   

I think the only way to solve problems anywhere in the North , is to build much better communities . Environmentalists would have it than noone lives in the North , but if its going to be part of Canada the choices are slim . There should be social structures the size of West Edmonton Mall everywhere and the roads should be more abundant , except for Ice roads which should be none existant and a completely forgotten concept (its stupid) . Now for the reality ...
Most of the North is uninhabitable so shut it down .

   

Territory, not Province.

   

Let me laught about u Ziggy when u say that Nunavut will be richer than Québec! And by the way, LE Gouvernement du Québec est nullement responsable pour ces petits colliers. Here we give jobs to them with our different electricity and environmental project.

   

Uninhabitable to some,not to them.Walking 300 miles over the frozen tundra in -45 is nothing for most of them. The ice roads are vital for winter fuel,food and medical supplys.Dont know why you would build any more summer roads though unless its from port to mine.
"Build it and they will come" Thats what happens when you build a road in Nunavut,everyone drives back and forth on it just for something to do.

   

Except Ottawa is giving them a ton of money. Admittedly, I don't know much about the culture, but as I understand, historically, Canada has promoted the culture. By that I mean they wanted the Inuit to remain 'quirky' as it helped with Canada's multicultural image. Unfortunately, it's catching up with them.



I agree that "not much to do" is a huge problem. Huge, and hard to solve.



I think it's incorrect to compare historical assimilation with what could be construed as assimilation today. I think you need some element of blending cultures if you want to be part of the modern world. But good luck with that, because 'assimilation' and 'aboriginals' has an ugly past.



I'll check it out.

   

Your right.I still think they will be richer then quebec in about 20 years.

   

While Banff was a bit more forward than I may have been, I have to agree with him (her?). This isn't about whether they can survive, but whether they can flourish. In fact, this is a huge part of the argument. Here is a culture that has spent it's history surviving in a vicious climate. Now that surviving is so much easier, they have nothing to do.

It seems ludicrous to tell these people to move, but when a factory in a one industry town closes shop, people migrate. In fact, people migrate from all over the world for opportunities in Canada. What makes this case so special?

   

Most I have met are happy just the way things are,keep it simple,live off the land if they have to.You ask them if they think their flourishing and most would say their happy.Most little communities dont have an industry other then the airport.Most do have an RCMP office though.

   

Build it and they will come. Turn up the speakers and go wide screen.



4x4 on sea ice

   

I really doubt that considering only 30,000 people live there. The city I live in has about that many. Unless you mean GDP per capita that is equal to Quebec's right now but the cost of living there is much higher. Their GDP is only 1.1 billion dollars while Quebec's is 274 billion and has 7.5 million people. The Northwest Territories is the richer one it's GDP is about 4 billion dollars and $94 953 per capita with a population of 43,000 which is better than PEI. Also not to mention the federal government transfers more to the northern communities. Unless some huge migration comes to Nunavut and it gains a million people maybe then you could start comparing them to Quebec but even so even with a million people their GDP probably wouldn't be as high.

   

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