Latest news with #MakivvikCorporation
CBC
3 days ago
- General
- CBC
Kativik Regional Government requests audit of Nunavik police
The Kativik Regional Government (KRG) has passed a resolution requesting an audit of the Nunavik Police Service. The resolution, passed Thursday, calls for a review of police operations and ways to make policing better reflect Inuit culture. The audit request follows two fatal police shootings in seven months — in Salluit in November, and Kangiqsualujjuaq earlier this month — the latter being the 16th police-related death in Nunavik since 2017. Police chief Jean-Pierre Larose said he is in full support of a review. "We are transparent and maybe [we need] somebody who thinks outside the box … to help us find solutions and improvements," he said. KRG is asking the Makivvik Corporation to help it find an auditor, who would report back to the council by fall 2025. Mylène Jaccoud, a professor of criminology at Université de Montréal, was in charge of Indigenous policing issues in the Viens Commission inquiry. That was launched in 2016 by the former provincial Liberal government after allegations of police misconduct against Indigenous women. She said the audit is a good step, though it should look at structural transformation of the policing model in Nunavik, rather than just the operations. She said the problems with the Nunavik Police Service are well-known and don't need further study. "We know that there is a problem of underfunding. We know that we are still waiting for the recognition of [Indigenous] police as an essential service," she said. "If we want to address this problem of the absence of Inuit police officers, it's absolutely necessary to change the policing model … a police [model] which is not oriented toward repression, but seen as a police who is very close to the communities that they share." The police chief however, doesn't believe the police model needs reform, and reiterated his pledge to implement every recommendation from investigations into the shooting in Salluit, once those final reports are presented. "Certainly we can improve it or adjust it, but right now we have positive results," Larose said. Community policing model Jaccoud said she doesn't believe the Nunavik Police Service is a truly autonomous Inuit police service — rather, that it's a southern-style team that happens to have oversight from KRG, the regional authority in Nunavik. "The majority of police officers are police officers from down south and I think that the change of governance should go to work on a real autonomous Inuit police service," she said. During the Viens Commission inquiry, she pitched — unsuccessfully — for a specific police school or training program for Indigenous police officers. Larose said the Nunavik Police Service is restarting a cadet program in a bid to recruit more Inuit, though he recognizes the challenges of Inuit policing Inuit communities. "They know everybody. They have relatives, cousins, parents and it's hard for them … and I understand they're kind of isolated from their community being a police officer. So we have to work on that," he said. In terms of solutions to how policing works in Nunavik, Jaccoud looks to other provinces for inspiration. Ontario has an inspector general of policing, who's tasked with ensuring policing regulations are followed, as well as a complaints agency. In several western provinces, there's the Hub model, which was pioneered in Prince Albert, Sask., in 2011. It's a multi-agency intervention that mobilizes social services for those in need before harm is done. "They just share information, they work together, they meet weekly, they plan together, action plans and appropriate intervention. That kind of model of policing is more oriented toward prevention than repression," she said. More funding in tripartite agreement Last month, the Nunavik Police Service received a five-fold increase in funding through a tripartite agreement between the KRG, Quebec and federal governments. The renewal of the agreement, from 2024 to 2029, is worth $562 million. Larose has previously spoken out about the lack of resources for the Nunavik Police Service. He said this new funding can help them bring on more officers and investigators, offer higher salaries to address staff retention, and provide more cultural awareness training. "I would like my police officers to get involved in the community, and families, at least two days per year to work with them, to go on the land, to do some activities with them, to better understand their lifestyle and their culture," he said. Another priority for him, he said, is expanding the mobile intervention model, currently in place in Puvirnituq, Que., which pairs police officers with social workers.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Water in Puvirnituq: The Gouvernement du Québec and Nunavik Authorities Take Action
QUÉBEC CITY, May 18, 2025 /CNW/ - The Gouvernement du Québec and Nunavik authorities are taking action in response to the very worrying situation in the Northern Village of Puvirnituq. The main pipe between the Northern Village's primary water source and its treatment plant froze because of an equipment failure on March 18. Temporary solutions are currently being deployed to restore water to the plant. Preventive medical evacuations have also been conducted to ensure safety, mostly of Elders, as Northern Village teams work to fix the pipe. However, a fire broke out on the afternoon of May 17, causing the mayor to declare a state of emergency. Last week, a crisis unit was set up to coordinate the actions being taken according to local authorities' priorities. Since Friday, over 54 tonnes of water have been airlifted into the village to meet Puvirnituq residents' immediate needs. More water will be shipped in over the next few days. Once the situation is under control, the government will conduct a major post-mortem with all local authorities, with a view to shedding light on the events and to identifying solutions to prevent their recurrence. To maintain effective collaboration, The Gouvernement du Québec and the Makivvik Corporation recognize the importance of clearly establishing all players' roles and responsibilities. Minister Lafrenière and Pita Aatami, president of the Makivvik Corporation, would like to thank all the teams who are working tirelessly to correct the situation as quickly as possible. SOURCE Cabinet du ministre responsable des Relations avec les Premières Nations et les Inuit View original content:
Cision Canada
18-05-2025
- Climate
- Cision Canada
Water in Puvirnituq: The Gouvernement du Québec and Nunavik Authorities Take Action Français
, /CNW/ - The Gouvernement du Québec and Nunavik authorities are taking action in response to the very worrying situation in the Northern Village of Puvirnituq. The main pipe between the Northern Village's primary water source and its treatment plant froze because of an equipment failure on March 18. Temporary solutions are currently being deployed to restore water to the plant. Preventive medical evacuations have also been conducted to ensure safety, mostly of Elders, as Northern Village teams work to fix the pipe. However, a fire broke out on the afternoon of May 17, causing the mayor to declare a state of emergency. Last week, a crisis unit was set up to coordinate the actions being taken according to local authorities' priorities. Since Friday, over 54 tonnes of water have been airlifted into the village to meet Puvirnituq residents' immediate needs. More water will be shipped in over the next few days. Once the situation is under control, the government will conduct a major post-mortem with all local authorities, with a view to shedding light on the events and to identifying solutions to prevent their recurrence. To maintain effective collaboration, The Gouvernement du Québec and the Makivvik Corporation recognize the importance of clearly establishing all players' roles and responsibilities. Minister Lafrenière and Pita Aatami, president of the Makivvik Corporation, would like to thank all the teams who are working tirelessly to correct the situation as quickly as possible. SOURCE Cabinet du ministre responsable des Relations avec les Premières Nations et les Inuit
CBC
12-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Montreal's Sanaaq community centre opens across from Cabot Square
A new municipal cultural and community centre has opened in Montreal across from Cabot Square. It's a part of the city that has faced challenges over the years. Inuit communities there have expressed the need for more community spaces tailored to their needs. Many other residents in the area have also called for more resources, like schools. Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante welcomed everyone to the Sanaaq Cultural and Community Centre on Friday, saying they're "welcome not just today but in the coming days, the coming year. It's our centre, it's your centre." It's a place for visitors to read, listen, dance, speak and create, said Kitty Gordon of the Makivvik Corporation, a regional Inuit organization representing Nunavik in northern Quebec. "It opens a place for expression in all of its forms," she said. Rhoda Kokiapik, Avataq Cultural Institute director, said there are about 3,000 Inuit living in Montreal. "We come here for work. We come here for higher education. We come here for medical needs. Montreal has a big role in our lives," she said. The city says the centre was built to reflect the cultural diversity of the neighbourhood with a focus on music, digital technology and Indigenous communities. According to the city's website, the centre will provide a much-needed hub for the culturally diverse Peter-McGill district. Located on the site of the former Montreal Children's Hospital near Atwater metro, the space spans 5,000 square metres over two floors. It will feature a library, performance hall, media lab, urban agriculture space and community café. Developed in close collaboration with local residents and over 35 organizations, the Sanaaq Centre follows a participatory governance model where programming and services are shaped by the community itself, the city says. Named after Sanaaq, an Inuit novel by Mitiarjuk Attasie Nappaaluk, the centre's architecture was selected through an international competition. It emphasizes natural light, wood and democratic design, the city says. The $40-million project was funded by the City of Montreal and Quebec's cultural development agreement. There was little talk of the costs at the inauguration. However, the city's Official Opposition has voiced concerns about the cost of renting the building during the time leading up to its opening — calling the $5.9 million spent to rent the unused building a waste of public funds.
CBC
30-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Calls for investigation after some in Nunavik left out of vote due to polling station issues
Tiivi Tulaugak was looking forward to voting in his first election in Ivujivik, Nunavik's northernmost community located in Quebec. But the 18-year-old's excitement quickly turned into frustration on Monday afternoon when he found out he was among the residents who wouldn't be able to cast a ballot. CBC News has heard from residents in five Nunavik communities who reported issues at polling stations, including some that closed early — or didn't open at all. "In my opinion, it's illegal," said Tulaugak, who called the situation "unacceptable." "They should plan and organize before the election." Now, the Makivvik Corporation, the organization representing Inuit in Nunavik, is calling on Elections Canada to investigate. It says it learned polling hours were inconsistent and some communities couldn't vote altogether. "This is unacceptable in 2025. In many cases, Nunavimmiut were effectively denied their right to participate in this election," read a statement. Makivvik is demanding Elections Canada take immediate steps to ensure that every Inuk in Nunavik has equal access to voting in future elections. In a statement on Monday, Elections Canada said weather issues were affecting flights for workers but did not confirm how many villages were affected, or whether polling booths did close down. "In several cases, it was not possible to recruit local teams. In other cases, harsh weather conditions have prevented access to communities," read the statement on Monday. On Tuesday, Elections Canada told CBC it was still gathering more information. Mandy Gull-Masty, former grand chief of the Cree Nation Government in Quebec, won the seat in the region, flipping the Abitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik–Eeyou riding Liberal by just a couple thousand votes over the Bloc. Lawyer weighs in on what can be done Julius Grey, a constitutional and human rights lawyer in Montreal, says the right to vote is fundamental, and the Elections Act is subject to the Charter. "Accessibility is one part of the right to vote, so a court could intervene on it," said Grey. "Now whether what could be done, I don't know." He says recourse for individuals affected by this could manifest as a declaration for future safeguards or a symbolic monetary compensation for breach of a Charter right, for example. But he says being excluded from voting can happen — whether that be due to a mistake, a polling station closing early or a voter not being able to enter the voting area, for example. Now, to go as far as overturning or annulling the results of a riding, Grey says that would require demonstrating a real possibility that the outcome could have been different. "If a riding was won by 30 votes and it appears that 2,000 people were deprived of the vote, then the solution would be to annul the vote in that area and hold a byelection," he said. "But that is not so just because a few people didn't vote. Because you can imagine how difficult it would be to have claims after every election." Another possibility is a declaratory relief — a kind of legal remedy to declare that "those communities should be served and that an error was made in not serving them," said Grey. 'It may leave a bad taste in their mouth' Veldon Coburn, associate professor and faculty chair of Indigenous Relations Initiative at McGill University, says there's an opportunity for a post-mortem and to use this riding as a type of case study to prevent similar situations in the next election. "Indigenous peoples have a long history of standing up for their rights," said Coburn, who is Anishinaabe from Pikwàkanagàn. "Fighting for the right to participate in electoral politics has been something that's been dear to them. So Elections Canada may have awakened a bit of a sleeping giant here." Due to the riding's unique makeup and a significant Indigenous population, he says residents may be feeling "rightly aggrieved and wronged." Part of the problem, he says, stems from more than a century of political disenfranchisement faced by Indigenous people. "There's a number of barriers for all sorts of matters of participating in politics and informal electoral politics. So it would be disheartening … in this era of reconciliation," said Coburn. "I'm kind of a little bit bewildered that this could happen." Coburn says Elections Canada should be able to anticipate some of these issues — especially considering the potential harms to Indigenous voters. "It may leave a bad taste in their mouth," he said.
