Social development across Nunavik should be viewed in the context of a partnership between organizations, Makivik, the Quebec government, and Kativik Regional Government.
Social development across Nunavik should be viewed in the context of a partnership between organizations, Makivik, the Quebec government, and Kativik Regional Government.
Overall responsibility for social policy, programs and service delivery remained with the Quebec government and the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, when the land claim agreement was signed. However, Makivik did include social development as part of its own mandate commitment by ensuring “the health and well being of Nunavik Inuit.”
Accordingly, it is not surprising that Makivik maintains a strong commitment to that core mandate value and indeed social and community development funding comes from Makivik, the Kativik Regional Government, the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services and the provincial government.
Over the past 30 years, Makivik has invested as much as a $100-million into social development and community programs, ranging from the construction of gymnasiums and arenas, swimming pools and youth camps, all aimed at providing some structure and development programs for Nunavik youth. These social development initiatives have also invested heavily in programs for the elders of Nunavik.
Makivik Corporation also helps to maintain and support the Saputiit Youth Association as well as the Inuit Women’s Association of Nunavik, called Saturviit, which means “those that give hope.” Saturviit was formed in 2005 by 14 Inuit women from Nunavik at a gathering in Puvirnituq who were concerned about the social conditions, including family violence, in their communities. These concerns ranged from raising families, education, the Inuktitut language, the need for child advocacy, the need for Inuit-specific healing workshops, and the high incidence of suicide among youth. Saturviit has also adopted a manifesto against violence in Nunavik.
