Iqaluit (Mar 24/03) - There are no easy answers.

It was the one thing suicide prevention groups from Greenland, Alaska, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories acknowledged when they met for a three-day workshop in Iqaluit last week.

This particular workshop was designed to share ideas to determine what is working and what is not in other regions.

Sheila Levy, president of the Nunavut Kamatsiaqtut help-line based in Iqaluit, was one of the people attending the workshop.

"It's good to bring everybody together to help put the pieces of the puzzle together," said Levy. "So often we work in isolation."

For Levy, this workshop was a prelude to the Canadian National Suicide Prevention Conference she will help organize in Iqaluit May 15.

International concern

Among the nations represented at the workshop, Alaska has the lowest suicide rate, but it is still twice the American average of 10.7 deaths per 100,000 people.

At the other end of the spectrum, Nunavut's rate (five times Canada's average of 12.3 deaths per 100,000 people) was the highest of those attending.

A vast majority of those deaths are among the Inuit and First Nations populations, but as the gathering indicated, this isn't just a North American problem.

Ellen Christoffersen is a member of the Greenlandic parliament and chair of the legislative committee on health and family.

"It's a problem in those countries that are under fast and rapid development and those that are former colonies," she said.

Over the three days the workshop was held, participants admitted there were no simple solution that would lead to a lower suicide rate.

Levy said each incident is unique and the factors are different.

One group at the table, however, has shown measurable results.

Chris Aquino from the suicide prevention program in Alaska said they have seen the suicide rate decrease as a result of their efforts.

"What we had to do is listen very closely to youth and elders to determine the needs we had to build upon," said Aquino.

Following the workshops, each group agreed to meet annually and keep in contact to share ideas and resources.

Support can be accessed through the Kamatsiaqtut help-line by dialling 1-800-265-3333 or in Iqaluit 979-3333.