Quantify Numbers that matter
Indigenous federal political representation
10 3%
The number of Indigenous MPs in Canada’s Parliament.
UPFRONT
Pinnguaq delivers education programs to remote Canadian communities
The number of Indigenous MPs in Canada expressed as a percentage.
Source: Food Insecurity Policy Research
New Zealand has parliamentary seats reserved for Indigenous people For more than 100 years New Zealand has enshrined
guaranteed seats for the Maori, the Indigenous people of the territory, in its parliament. New Zealand established treaty rights between Maori and the Crown in 1840.The legislation was originally known as the Native Representation Act; four parliamentary seats were assigned for Maori in 1867 — the year Canada became a nation. Now, a set of “Aboriginal electoral districts” provides for specific representation of Maori people which ensures for a high degree of Indigenous representation. Every area of the country is covered by both a general and a Maori electorate. While the Maori people represent little more than 15 per cent of the total population, about 21 per cent of
New Zealand’s parliamentarians are Maori.
While still quite active in Nunavut, Lindsay’s Pinnguaq (the company name is Inuktitut for play) has grown to provide STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) experiences in learning and development in rural, remote and Indigenous communities across Canada. For example, from January through March 2021, Pinnguaq delivered programs in 38 different communities across six provinces and territories. The non-profit was founded in 2012 in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, with a focus on bringing technological experiences to Nunavummiut (residents of Nunavut). “Pinnguaq centres all its activities around a life-cycle approach to service,” says Ryan Oliver, CEO and founder of Pinnguaq. “This approach encompasses education, resources, mentorship, employment, production and advocacy. At the very core of this model is community.” Locally Pinnguaq has worked with King Albert school, the Kawartha Lakes library system, the Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Curve Lake First Nation, the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation and the Kawartha Gallery to name just a few. While closed at this time due to COVID, Pinnguaq has operated a Makerspace at its Adelaide Street North location since September 2019 and has been offering free virtual online programming since the start of the pandemic. Pinnguaq is also one of 14 national organizations to deliver the Digital Skills for Youth program funded by the Canadian government. From Apr. 1, 2020, to Mar. 31, 2021, Pinnguaq provided $1.96 million to train and help pay wages for more than 100 interns at 56 businesses, including eight locally.
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