Delegates discuss racism, past and present
Kirsten Murphy
Northern News Services
Iqaluit (Apr 02/01) - Tales of historical and ongoing injustices poured from Northern residents at the request of Multiculturalism Minister Hedy Fry last week.
Thirty people from Nunavut, NWT, Yukon and Labrador gathered here March 24-25.
The meeting was the final stop in a series of cross-Canada meetings before Fry departs for the United Nations' World Conference Against Racism in South Africa this fall.
She heard about the forced relocation of Inuit, dog slaughters, women and war veterans stripped of their Aboriginal status, lack of voting rights, cultural assimilation, health care shortfalls, biased history books and residential school abuse.
Attitudes have changed with time, but injustices continue, delegates said.
Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. president Paul Quassa said federal and territorial governments continue to discriminate against Inuit with gun registration and hunting laws: laws preventing Inuit from carrying out traditional livelihoods.
Meeka Kilabuk, president of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, talked of tuberculosis and growing cancer rates within Inuit communities.
She said the medical treatment Inuit receive under federal government programs -- like Health Canada's Non-Insured Health Benefits program -- was second rate.
"This is a very moving and emotional exercise," said Fry. "You've brought some very real and concrete issues.
"We have asked for your thoughts and you have told us, even if it wasn't what we wanted to hear or if it was difficult to hear."
Participants discussed ways to prevent and recognize racism on March 24 and presented recommendations to Fry the next day.
How Nunavut benefits from Canada's participation in the UN conference is unclear.
"I do not have the power to make all the changes," Fry said.
In fact, the consultations process is to compile public for the United Nation's conference five months from now.
Fry acknowledged the limitations of her fact-finding mission. She encouraged community groups though, to move forward with their concerns.
Quassa held no illusions about the conference.
"We will rely on what comes out of the World conference. Hopefully (these meetings) will be an agent for the government to act on."
Aboriginal leaders from across Canada meet in Winnipeg next month for the National Aboriginal Consultation.
