Open Letter to the Nunavut Legislative Assembly

Oct 25th, 2023

This open letter is being addressed to the Nunavut Legislative Assembly to demonstrate the urgent need for changes to territorial social policy, such as the Income Assistance and the Nunavut Child Benefit programs, to create dignified pathways out of poverty and support food security and food sovereignty in Nunavut.

Food is a human right. Ensuring that Nunavummiut have reliable access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food will create a healthier and stronger Nunavut. Being food insecure has impacts on a person’s health, mental health, and education and employment achievements. These impacts are long-term. For instance, a child who lives in a food insecure household is more likely to experience poor mental health in adulthood. Recent data shows that 70% of children in Nunavut are living in food insecure households. Future Nunavummiut cannot afford for us to wait to address this human rights crisis. 

Strong and adequate income security programs are critical towards ensuring that everyone in Canada can realize their human right to an adequate standard of living, including the right to food. Yet Inuit in Canada experience the highest rates of food insecurity of any Indigenous population living in an industrialized nation. Over half of households in Nunavut are food insecure. Women and children are disproportionately affected with the least access to food, health, education, training and opportunities for employment and other needs.

We know that the root causes of food insecurity in Nunavut are a complex and interrelated set of drivers that include the ongoing legacy of colonial policies that have resulted in high poverty rates, a high cost of living, a lack of housing and other infrastructure, and the threat of climate change.

There are specific and concrete actions that would directly impact the health and wellbeing of Nunavummiut. We ask that the Members of the Legislative Assembly commit to the following actions:

• Invest in infrastructure to support the local food system, including marine infrastructure, and country food processing and distribution facilities
• Support the territory’s hunters by exploring ways to sustainably fund salaried hunter positions in every community
• Review the Nunavut Child Tax Benefit program to raise the income eligibility threshold, index the program to inflation, and increase it to reflect Nunavut’s high cost of living
• Revise the Income Assistance program to index it to inflation and end claw-backs
• Continue to investigate a guaranteed basic income program for Nunavummiut
• Increase funding for school food programs to reflect recent increases in food inflation

Nunavummiut cannot afford to wait any longer. We ask that the Members act now to protect the human rights of all Nunavummiut.

In solidarity,

Qajuqturvik Community Food Center, and the undersigned.

This letter is part of our Right to Food Nunavut Fundraising and Advocacy Campaign. If possible, please donate here.

Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre’s (QCFC) mission is to promote health, belonging, and food sovereignty by harnessing the power of tradition and community. We address the many root causes of food insecurity through a combination of food access services alongside medium and long term education and advocacy initiatives that increase availability of healthy and culturally sustaining food.

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ᑎᑎᖅᑲᖅ ᑐᕋᖅᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑏᑦ

ᐅᑦᑑᐱᕆ 25, 2023

ᐅᓇ ᑎᑎᖅᑲᖅ ᑐᕌᖅᑎᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᑕᑯᔅᓴᐅᑎᑦᑎᓗᑎ ᑐᐊᕕᕐᓇᖅᑐᒥᑦ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖓ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒌᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᑐᐊᒐᐃᑦ, ᓲᕐᓗ ᐃᑲᔫᓯᐊᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓱᕈᓯᕐᓄᑦ ᐃᑲᔫᓯᐊᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᑦ, ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᓗᑎ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᔪᓂᑦ ᐊᖅᑯᑎᐅᔪᓂᑦ ᐊᔪᖅᓴᓗᐊᕈᓐᓃᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓗᒍ ᓂᕿᓄᑦ ᐊᑦᑕᓇᐃᖅᓯᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓂᖀᑦ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᐅᓂᖏᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ.

ᓂᖀᑦ ᐃᓄᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᐅᔪᑦ. ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᔪᑦ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑕᐃᑦ ᑐᓐᖓᕕᒋᔭᔅᓴᐅᔪᓂᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎ ᓂᕿᑦᑎᐊᕙᓐᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᓄᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᑦᑐᓂ ᓂᕿᓂᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑎᐊᖏᓂᖅᓴᒥᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓴᖏᓂᖅᓴᒥᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ. ᓂᕿᓄᑦ ᐊᑦᑕᓇᐃᖅᓯᒪᖏᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᑦᑐᐃᓂᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓄᒻᒧᑦ ᑎᒥᖓᓂ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑎᐊᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐃᓱᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑎᐊᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑎᑭᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂᑦ. ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᐊᑦᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᑯᓂᐅᔪᒧᑦ. ᐆᑦᑑᑎᒋᓗᒍ, ᓱᕈᓯᖅ ᐊᖏᕋᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᓂᕿᓄᑦ ᐊᑦᑕᓇᐃᖅᓯᒪᖏᑦᑐᓂᑦ ᐃᓪᓗᒥᑦ ᐊᑐᕐᓂᖃᕈᓐᓇᓂᖅᓴᐃᑦ ᓂᐊᖁᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑎᐊᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓐᓇᕈᕋᓱᐊᓂᕐᒧᑦ. ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕈᑎᒥᐅᓂᕋᑖᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑕᑯᔅᓴᐅᑎᑦᑎᔪᑦ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ 70% ᓱᕈᓰᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᓅᓂᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᓂᕿᓄᑦ ᐊᑦᑕᓇᐃᖅᓯᒪᖏᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓪᓗᓂᑦ. ᓯᕗᓂᔅᓴᒥ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑦ ᐅᕙᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐅᑕᖅᑭᒋᐊᖃᖏᑦᑐᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᓗᒋᑦ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᐃᓄᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑏᑦ ᑐᐊᕕᕐᓇᖅᑐᒥᑦ. 

ᓴᓐᖏᒧᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓈᒻᒪᑦᑐᓂ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᑦᑕᓇᐃᖅᓯᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᑦ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᔪᑦ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᑭᒃᑯᑐᐃᓐᓇᐃᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᖃᐅᔨᔫᒥᔪᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎ ᐃᓄᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᖏᓐᓂ ᓈᒻᒪᑦᑐᓄᑦ ᐃᓅᓇᓱᐊᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐱᖃᓯᐅᑎᓪᓗᑎ ᓂᕿᓄᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑏᑦ. ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᖁᕝᕙᓯᓛᖑᔪᑦ ᓂᕿᓄᑦ ᐊᑦᑕᓇᐃᖅᓯᒪᖏᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᑦ ᐃᓅᓂᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᕕᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑕᐅᔪᓂᑦ. ᓇᑉᐸᒋᓗᐊᖅᑕᖏᑦ ᐊᖏᕋᐅᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓂᕿᓄᑦ ᐊᑦᑕᓇᐃᖅᓯᒪᖏᑦᑐᑦ. ᐊᕐᓇᐃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓱᕈᓰᑦ ᐊᑦᑐᖅᑕᐅᓛᖑᓪᓗᑎ ᐱᕕᔅᓴᖃᖏᓛᖑᓪᓗᑎ ᓂᕿᓄᑦ, ᑎᒥᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑎᐊᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᕕᔅᓴᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂ ᐱᔭᐅᔭᕆᐊᓕᓐᓂᑦ.

ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔪᒍᑦ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᓂᑦ ᓂᕿᓄᑦ ᐊᑦᑕᓇᐃᖅᓯᒪᖏᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓇᓗᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᑦᑐᐊᓂᖃᖃᑦᑕᐅᑎᔪᓂᑦ ᐱᖃᓯᐅᔾᔨᔪᓂᑦ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᓄᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᖁᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᑐᐊᒐᐃᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᖁᕝᕙᓯᑦᑐᓂᑦ ᐊᔪᓴᖅᑐᓂᑦ, ᐊᑭᑐᔪᓂᑦ ᐃᓅᓇᓱᐊᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐃᓪᓗᑭᔅᓴᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᓯᖏᑦ ᐱᖁᑎᕐᔪᐊᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᑦᑕᓇᕈᑎᖃᑎᑦᑎᓂᖓ ᓯᓚᖓ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ. ᐱᑕᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᒪᔪᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᓯᒋᐊᕈᑎᓪᓚᕆᐅᔪᓂᑦ ᐊᑦᑐᐃᓂᖃᕋᔭᖅᑐᓂᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᓪᓗᑎ ᐊᒻᒪ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑎᐊᓂᕐᒧ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑦ. ᐊᐱᕆᔪᒍᑦ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑏᑦ ᑲᔪᖏᕐᓗᑎ ᐅᑯᓄᖓ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᓯᒋᐊᓂᕐᒧᑦ:

• ᐱᓕᕆᑎᑦᑎᓗᑎ ᐱᖁᑎᕐᔪᐊᓂᑦ ᐃᑲᒧᕐᓗᑎ ᓄᓇᓕᒻᒥ ᓂᕿᓄᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᑦ, ᐱᖃᓯᐅᑎᓪᓗᑎ ᐃᒪᕐᒥ ᐱᖁᑎᕐᒧᐊᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓂᕿᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᓂᕿᓕᕆᕕᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑐᓂᐅᖅᑲᐃᕕᒃ
• ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓗᒋᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᑦᑏᑦ ᕿᓂᕐᓗᑎ ᒪᑭᒪᑎᑕᔅᓴᐅᔪᓂ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᔅᓴᑎᑕᐅᔪᓂᑦ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᑦᑎᓂᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᓕᒫᓂᑦ
• ᕿᒥᕐᕈᓗᒋᑦᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓱᕈᓯᕐᓄᑦ ᑖᒃᓯᓄᑦ ᐃᑲᔫᓯᐊᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖅ ᖁᕝᕙᕆᐊᕐᓗᒋᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᐊᓄᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᖅᑎᑕᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᕕᖓ, ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᔪᓕᐅᕐᓗᒋᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖅ ᐊᑭᑦᑐᐸᓪᓕᐊᔪᓄᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᖁᕝᕙᕆᐊᕐᓗᒍ ᑕᑯᔅᓴᐅᑎᑦᑎᔪᓂᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐊᑭᑐᔪᓂᑦ ᐃᓅᓇᓱᐊᓂᕐᒧᑦ
• ᐋᖅᑭᒋᐊᖅᑕᐅᓗᓂ ᐃᑲᔫᓯᐊᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖅ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᔪᓕᐅᕐᓗᒋᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖅ ᐊᑭᑦᑐᐸᓪᓕᐊᔪᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓄᖅᑲᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐅᑎᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᖅ
• ᑲᔪᓯᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᓂᖓ ᖁᓚᓐᓇᐃᖅᓯᔪᓂᑦᒻ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᐊᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᓄᑦ
• ᖁᕝᕙᕆᐊᕐᓗᒋᑦ  ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᓂᖏᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᕕᓐᓄᑦ ᓂᕿᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᑦ ᑕᑯᔅᓴᐅᑎᑦᑎᓗᑎ ᖁᕝᕙᕆᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᓂᑦ ᓂᕿᓄᑦ ᐊᑭᑦᑐᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ

ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑕᐃᑦ ᐅᑕᖅᑭᔪᓐᓇᐃᓪᓕᔪᑦ. ᐊᐱᕆᔭᕗᑦ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑏᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᓯᒋᐊᕐᓗᑎ ᒫᓐᓇ ᓴᐳᒻᒥᔭᐅᓗᑎ ᐃᓄᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑏᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑕᓕᒫᓄᑦ.

ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑐᖅ,

ᖃᔪᑐᕐᕕᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓄᓪᓗ ᓂᖃᐃᓱᕐᕕᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᑎᓕᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ