Nunavut Devolution does not mean Inuit Self-Determination
Socio-economic challenges remain a barrier to true representation of Inuit in the Government of Nunavut.
By Toni Steele
Nunavut is not achieving Inuit self-determination. This is true even though earlier this year, Nunavut was transferred all of its territorial responsibilities through devolution. Not only does the Government of Nunavut remain unrepresentative of its majority-Inuit population, but the Inuit in Nunavut continue to face protracted socio-economic challenges stemming from colonization.
The territory known as Nunavut was a result of the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada’s Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. This process began in 1971 and was signed on May 25, 1993, alongside the Nunavut Act. The land claim gave Inuit organizations title to around 350,000 square kilometers of land and codified Inuit involvement in natural resource decisions. It also spurred the creation of the Government of Nunavut in 1999, meant to be a representative Inuit government to protect Inuit land and natural resource interests. This was a huge shift in the Canadian federal landscape – Canada now had a new territory in the North, and it came with specific representative requirements.
The creation of the Government of Nunavut was a huge step towards self-determination of Inuit in the region. Not only was it the product of Inuit advocacy, but in theory, the representative territorial government would be rooted in Inuit values and, as a result, be well-positioned to advocate for Inuit interests. Sadly, in the 25 years since Nunavut’s creation, these objectives have not been realized.
Inuit representation in the Government of Nunavut has remained around 50% of government employees, despite Inuit making up around 83% of the territory’s population. Not only is the Government of Nunavut failing to meet the representative metric itself, but within this 50% figure, Inuit are most likely to hold administrative positions and less likely to progress to senior management roles. Representation is more than just a number; even if the 83% target is met, it is crucial for Inuit to occupy senior decision-making roles to actualize self-determination.
Why has Inuit representation not been realized? Despite the Government of Nunavut’s best intentions, efforts at achieving Inuit representation were left underfunded by the Government of Canada for a decade until the 2015 Settlement Agreement was reached between the Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the Government of Nunavut, and the Government of Canada. However, this is more than just a problem of underfunding.
The Government of Nunavut has published many employment plans seeking to increase Inuit representation. However, their focus tends to revolve around primarily academic and vocational barriers to Inuit employment. The socio-economic factors limiting Inuit participation in the Government of Nunavut are discussed in much shorter detail, often saying that other organizations are addressing these issues and that they do not fall within the purview of employment strategies.
This is a major flaw of the Government of Nunavut’s efforts to improve Inuit representation. How can increased Inuit employment be expected while Inuit continue to face disproportionate socio-economic challenges? There are increased rates of poverty in Nunavut, contributing to the 25.8% of households that are moderately food insecure, and the 23.7% of households that are severely food insecure. Food insecurity has ripple effects on issues like chronic illness, behavioral issues in children, and mental distress. Increased rates of poverty also exacerbate other social issues like overcrowded housing and domestic violence.
The socio-economic challenges facing many Inuit in Nunavut cannot be mentioned without explicitly recognizing the impact of colonization. This includes the forced relocations of Inuit, experiences in residential schools, and displacement by Canadian colonial forces. The suppression of Inuit culture, values, and ways of living was done at the hands of colonization, yet current federal-territorial policies continue to be insufficient to address its lasting repercussions.
The Government of Nunavut has also begun working against its own interests, namely in the domain of Inuktut language preservation. In 2021, the Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. launched a lawsuit against the Government of Nunavut for its failure to provide equal bilingual Inuktut learning opportunities for Inuit children. The Government of Nunavut pushed its commitment to implement fully bilingual Inuktut education from 2019 to 2039 and established limited Inuktut language requirements in schools after grade 4. This is particularly distressing as Inuktut language use continues to fall in Nunavut: in 2001, 72% of Nunavut’s population said Inuktut was their mother tongue, and in 2021, this number had dropped to 53%. In this context, Nunavut is clearly not acting in the best interests of its majority-Inuit population.
Despite Nunavut assuming all its responsibilities from the federal government, can it be truthfully claimed that Nunavut has realized Inuit self-determination? Without significant improvements in the socio-economic realities of Inuit in Nunavut and improved government representation, the answer has been and will continue to be no.
Disclaimer: Toni Steele is currently on education leave from her position at Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. All views expressed in this editorial are hers alone and do not represent any government agency or department.
Toni Steele is a 2023 graduate of Carleton University, where she received a Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management degree. With a goal to make public policy more accessible to other students, Toni became a Staff Writer with Kroeger Policy Review, a student-run policy publication, writing on issues such as environmental pollution and urban planning. Toni has varied policy interests, leading her to work and research in many different organizations. However, she currently works in the Federal Government at Crown-Indigenous Relations. Passionate about helping others and contributing to a more sustainable, equitable future, Toni is excited to learn, challenge herself, and connect with others at the Max Bell School.