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KANGIQLINIQ/RANKIN INLET
It's never too late to do good. That was the rallying cry of Kivalliq Counselling and Support Services (KCSS) support workers from a number of communities who met in Rankin Inlet this past week.

Kivalliq Counselling and Support Services regional director Noel Kaludjak of Coral Harbour takes notes as counselling manager Oral Kiffiak follows the discussion during a meeting of support workers from across the region in Rankin Inlet this past week. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

KCSS is scheduled to close its doors for the final time when its funding expires at the end of next March.

But there's still lots to be done by KCSS and its community workers during the next six months to help provide a better quality of life in Kivalliq communities.

The group identified a number of problem areas that need addressing, including drug and alcohol abuse, the affects of residential schools and parenting skills.

Martin Kreelak has been with KCSS in Baker Lake for almost two years.

Kreelak said Kivalliq communities will suffer if KCSS shuts its doors for good.

He said the past two years were a learning experience that helped open his eyes on a number of issues.

"I didn't have a clue what my role would be with the community when I first started working for KCSS," said Kreelak.

"But during the next 18 months, I learned about dealing with former residential school students and how important a role that is.

"When members of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRCC) and the Independent Assessment Process (IAP) came to Baker, a number of former residential school students who had been laying low began to slowly come out.

"Since then, I've had former students fill out their IAP forms, so, to me, it seems just as we were starting to really help and support these people, our program will be closing."

Kreelak said the process has opened some old wounds and healing takes time.

He said some of the wounds carried around by former residential school students for the past 50 or 60 years were very, very deep.

"I've met with elders who went to residential school who I thought were doing OK for all this time.

"But then I found they had been carrying the pain from these old wounds in silence for all these years.

"It's wrong to have helped bring them so far and then abandon them once the funding is gone."

Kreelak said the two biggest problems he sees facing youth in Baker Lake today are drug and alcohol abuse.

He said the abuse is getting totally out of hand.

"We've seen and talked about this for many years, but never at this level.

"As the community grows, the wellness of Baker Lake has to somehow balance, but, right now, it's starting to fall below the pace of development in Baker.

"The authorities have tried to deal with this in many ways, but with little success.

"We need a more one-on-one approach that brings them in touch with their own culture, and Inuit Quajimajatuqangit has to be involved with that process."

Kreelak said he understands the kids often get caught between the traditional and modern worlds.

He said Inuit culture and the modern world are both very important in today's life.

"The problem is too many of us are taking the bad stuff from the modern world to fill our needs.

"But, as an elder in our community said, we can grab what is good from both the old and the new.

"If we do that, we'll be walking forward with a good foundation."

Charlotte Kattegatsiak, who has been involved with KCSS in Chesterfield Inlet for the past four years, said her role is simply helping other people.

She said the loss of KCSS would have a big impact on Kivalliq communities, especially with the residential school issues.

"With us in the community, at least these people know they have somebody to turn to," said Kattegatsiak.

"It's good to have others come in, as well, because then they know others care.

"In some cases, parents are afraid to discipline their kids because of their own experiences when they were in residential schools.

"I travelled a lot with Health Canada and the TRCC and every town is going through the same thing with problems associated with residential schools."

Kattegatsiak said there seems to be less problems with youth in Chester than in communities like Rankin Inlet.

She said more can be done to bring better wellness to every community with a regional approach.

"The regional approach, joining the towns together, provides a good support network for everyone.

"The way I see it, in my experience, having workshops and joining with other committees works better.

"I look up to the elders because they help a lot, and an elder's committee and a justice committee, for example, work really well together, especially when dealing with young or first-time offenders.

"I praise Chester a lot for its traditional skills, and the community cares a lot, as a town, about its youth."

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