Baker Lake (Aug 27/03) - A former Baker Lake resident says he had to move from Nunavut because the government failed him and his family.

And now they are discriminating against him, he says.

Moses Aupaluktuq sent a seven-page letter to the minister of education and his MLA, Glenn McLean, on June 26 stating that he had to move South in order to access medical, educational, employment and housing needs. Needs he says Nunavut failed to meet for him.

He is appealing a decision by the education department to refuse him financial support for further studies.

"I am discriminated and penalized as a result of a practice by FANS that alienates and denies services because FANS is using adopt (sic) Acts that are a detriment to Inuit," said Aupaluktuq in his letter.

His reasons for the appeal are that he is a "Nunavut beneficiary that has no service provisions in any way or form" because of the Nunavut government.

Aupaluktuq also states in the letter that denying him the services he requests are discriminatory under the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Aupaluktuq, his Oneida Iroquois wife Rhonda Lynn Doxtator and their daughter moved to southwestern Ontario.

Some of the medical services Aupaluktuq says his family required were for high-risk type-2 diabetes pregnancy.

Also, his wife wanted traditional mid-wife birthing practice and Aupaluktuq says that wasn't provided.

He claims education was a problem.

In Ontario, his spouse enroled in a community care and wellness worker and traditional medicines program, which was not available in Baker Lake.

Housing was also a factor for the move, said Aupaluktuq.

He says there were nine people living in a four- bedroom home.