Crime and social problems take centre stage in Inuvik
Roundtable hears frank discussions about community issues
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Thursday, July 13, 2017
INUVIK
More than a dozen community members gathered for a roundtable at the Gwich'in Tribal Council offices to discuss how Inuvik can deal with a spike in crime and social problems in the town Friday, July 7.
Tom Wright was one of more than a dozen people who took part in a community meeting on crime and social issues in Inuvik Friday, July 7. Wright spoke of the importance for people to have hope. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo
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A number of recent break-ins and vandalism in town, including recently at the cemetery, plus concern over ongoing social ills, spurred citizens to try to come up with ways to improve life in the community.
Discussions centred around four categories: youth struggling with alcohol or identity; young adults committing break-ins and vandalism; people on the street in the grips of drug or alcohol addiction; and how best to deal with bootleggers and drug dealers.
Tom Wright talked about the importance of making small impacts on people's lives.
"Everybody needs to do what they can," he said. "We've got to start some place."
People living on the streets or in difficult situations are often ashamed, scared or bewildered about where to go or who to talk to, he said. Others' problems might stem from being belittled by their spouses or any number of triggers.
"Somehow, they have to get hope back into their life," said Wright. "If you want to live, you've got to have hope, you've got to have plans."
Jordan Peterson, vice-president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council, said one thing people need to understand is that young people are going to drink.
"The only thing that you can do is teach them awareness and have respect for it and not overdo it," he said.
Many people who act out want that help or attention, he added.
Winston Moses advocated harsher discipline from parents to their children, including using the strap.
Inuvik Mayor Jim McDonald said discipline of youth has to start at home.
"I don't think we sitting around this table can go out and discipline someone else's children," he said.
Most of the recent vandalism and break-ins haven't been perpetrated by youth or people on the street, he continued, but by young adults.
"The guys on the street, they're not responsible for this vandalism," said McDonald. "They don't have the means and they're not out searching for things. They might be looking for a place to sleep but they're not out to vandalize anything, generally speaking."
He said the town is looking to reinstate its Inuvik Works program or come up with something similar to it. The program used to help people make their way back into the labour force with training. Unfortunately a lot of people on the street, controlled by their drug or alcohol addiction, don't want to work, he said.
"A lot of times they have opportunity to go out on the land, but they don't want to go," said McDonald. "I see them every day. I talk with them every day, most of them. Quite often I'll offer them work and they're not willing to."
The individual has to be responsible for wanting a change in his or her life, he continued.
"You can do everything you want but until they decide to make a change in their life it's almost impossible to make the change or do something different," said McDonald.
Joey Amos, manager of the John Wayne Kiktorak Centre, said many of his residents work for quick cash to feed their addictions, but even if they try to improve their lives, the stigma is stuck to them.
Amos relayed a situation about some of his residents sobering up and being denied attendance to a community event because of their reputation.
"We've got to try to re-educate the town," he said. "Just because of what they used to be or are, maybe they're sober today, (we can't be) judging them at the door and turning them away"
Many people are intimidated by big office buildings and don't know where to seek help, he said.
"Inuvik has become so busy that they don't know where to go," said Amos. "We have so many different groups to deal with. They're sending them all over the place and sometimes they don't want to go there because it's in a high office - they're scared, they've never been in this situation before."
He recommended talking to people on the street or in situations they're more comfortable in. Part of the goal of his proposed Beaufort Delta Detox Centre is to provide a more community-based approach to healing.
At one point discussion shifted to dealing with bootleggers and drug dealers. There was debate about how to challenge these people in the courts, as many are afraid of facing retribution in the community from people they know.
McDonald said community members have to stand up to them.
"If we're going to make change, we can't be afraid," he said. "You can't live in fear of these people. Otherwise nothing will ever change."
Mackenzie Delta MLA Frederick Blake Jr. said people want to see stiffer sentences for drug dealers. He suggested even checking cars that come across the ferries.
"Selling drugs that destroy families, can't tolerate it anymore," said Blake.
Other topics raised during the meeting were creating a one-window approach to services in the community, reinforcing community values during speeches at public events like Canada Day and creating a neighbourhood watch.
Bobbie Jo Greenland-Morgan, president of the GTC, suggested the meetings become a regular occurrence in the community.
