Petition for safe space in Chesterfield Inlet Residents want place people in distress can go

By Stewart Burnett Northern News Services

Local Journalism Initiaitive Chesterfield Inlet

Twenty-three residents signed a petition to build a safe space in Chesterfield Inlet, somewhere that people could go when they are in distress and low on options.

The petition was started by Shawna Mullins and tabled in the legislative assembly Feb. 28 by Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet MLA Alexander Sammurtok.

“Chesterfield Inlet is not the only community which struggles with situations where individuals need to escape a dangerous or unhealthy situation for a few hours or a night,” said Sammurtok in the legislative assembly March 6, addressing questions to Margaret Nakashuk, minister of family services.

He asked Nakashuk to describe the support her department provides for communities that wish to open a safe facility.

“This is a particularly relevant question, as we have officially acknowledged some communities who are working to create or initiate a safe home, a temporary safe place or a safe shelter,” stated Nakashuk through interpretation in response, adding that most of those bodies are nonprofit organizations or the local hamlet has commenced such an initiative.

“This includes identification of a building as our department does not build safe shelter. Nonetheless, we provide operating funding or program funding for any activities, and Family Services can usually provide this type of funding assistance.”

Sammurtok asked if Nakashuk would commit to reaching out to his constituents to help them set up a safe facility in the community.

ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᖏᓐᓂ.”

ᓇᑲᓱᒃ ᑭᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᖓᑕ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᖓ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᐅᓂᖅᐹᖑᓇᔭᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᖅᑖᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ

ᓂᕈᐊᒐᒃᓴᕆᓇᔭᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂ ᐅᔾᔨᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑦᑐᒥ ᐃᒡᓗᕐᔪᐊᖑᔪᒥ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒑᕐᔪᖕᒥ ᕼᐋᒻᓚᒃᑯᖓ ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᕈᓐᓇᕆᕗᖅ ᐃᓄᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓂ.

ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒑᕐᔪᖕᒥᐅᑕᐃᑦ ᖃᐃᖁᔨᓂᖃᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᑦᑕᓇᙱᑦᑐᒥ ᐃᓂᒃᓴᐅᔪᒥ ᓴᓇᔭᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ, ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᐅᐸᒍᓐᓇᖅᑕᖓᓐᓂ ᑲᑉᐱᐊᓇᖅᑐᒃᑰᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᐅᐊᖕᓇᖓᓂ-ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒑᕐᔪᖕᒥ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎ ᐋᓕᒃᓵᓐᑐᕐ ᓴᒻᒧᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᓚᐅᖅᐸᖓ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᑎᓕᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂ ᑐᒃᓯᕋᐅᒻᒥ

Chesterfield Inlet residents are calling for a safe space to be built in the community, where residents can go when they are in distress. Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet MLA Alexander Sammurtok brought the residents’ petition up in the legislative assembly. NNSL file photo

“The residents of Chesterfield Inlet have made it very clear that they want a safe place facility in the community,” said Sammurtok. “The document showed the level of their concerns.” Nakashuk replied that her department’s office in Rankin Inlet would be the best place for people to get further information on their options toward realizing such a facility. She said the Chesterfield Inlet hamlet can also directly contact Family Services.