Nunavut MP says overcrowded housing trapping victims

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services

Local Journalism Initiative Nunavut

Nunavut MP Lori Idlout took a moment in the House of Commons to call for greater investment in improving Indigenous women’s safety April 26.

“I cannot name the many Indigenous women who have reached out to me, trying to flee from violence,” said Idlout. “If I did, I would make their already difficult situation even worse. To those who are forced to live with their abusive partners, I say, ‘I hear you.’”

She went on to say that the government needs to hear that these women are forced to live in abusive situations because of the lack of housing, lack of shelters and “the justice system is not protecting them.”

“The government needs to recognize how failures in investing in Indigenous housing leave women living in fear and unable to find safety,” said Idlout.

“I am calling on this government to make much-needed investments now.”

While discussing the federal budget April 21, Idlout had also called out the government for allocating “almost a billion dollars to persuade Indigenous peoples to exploit their lands.”

She said that the inherent rights of Métis, Inuit and First Nations people were being violated.

“I say to the families of the MMIWG, the survivors and families of residential schools, families who were forced off the lands and into settlements and to Indigenous peoples and their lands that were, and continue to be, stolen, that they must protect and defend Indigenous peoples’ lands,” said Idlout.

“To Indigenous peoples who are homeless, living in overcrowded or dilapidated housing conditions, and to all Inuit, First Nations and Métis, I say that too few of MPs will stand up for their rights and I plead with them to protect their rights, speak up and demand justice from their MPs.” available for sale. Many Nunavummiut and those who come North for work are simply saving money to put toward a house in the south, because there’s nothing to buy here. people are suffering. It’s doubtful that anyone’s vision for Nunavut involved 15 people cramped in a three-bedroom home, all getting repeatedly sick, all on years-long housing waiting lists and all at the mercy of their lack of options.

STEWART BURNETT

The awkward subject is that the main way for Nunavut to become richer is to make Nunavut look more like the rest of Canada and less like Nunavut, meaning more large infrastructure projects, more roads, more mining, more economic activity. All of this comes at the potential expense of chipping away at the way of life and serenity of an untouched land.

Everyone would like to find a path that balances both pursuits in perfect harmony. While we think of that, in the meantime,

Even worse, many of those people, and many Indigenous women, are stuck in homes that are not safe for them. Some are trapped because of their controlling and violent partners, some are trapped economically and can’t afford to leave, and some are trapped because they are sacrificing their own lives to make things as easy on their children as possible.

Going back to Idlout’s comments, Indigenous women need power. That means more than a safe house, which is a fantastic thing to have. Indigenous women need economic power to own their own homes, leave bad situations and pursue new opportunities. Nunavut needs a stronger economy for that.