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Cracks appear in Nunavut legislature over accommodating traditional Inuit knowledge

Recent discord in the Nunavut legislature suggests that even governments representing large aboriginal populations find it difficult to be culturally sensitive to indigenous traditions.

Last week, elder MLA Isaac Shooyook of the Nunavut legislative assembly walked out on question period in protest of what he said was a lack of Inuit traditional knowledge in the government’s practices and policies.

Shooyook, who was first elected in the fall of 2013, told the legislature on March 5 that he would not return to the chamber after standing up to ask questions of the government.

“There is flowery language about incorporating traditional Inuit knowledge, yet many times the department [of culture and heritage] refuses to implement this knowledge,” Shooyook said during question period on March 4, as reported by Nunavut news site Nunatsiaq Online.

Sooyook’s concerns may be surprising given Nunavut’s aboriginal population, especially compared to other jurisdictions in Canada. But Terry Audla, president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, said bringing in traditional knowledge to governing systems isn’t a simple thing to do.

“When it comes to legislation and regulations, Nunavut is an example where they’re trying to make the decisions that [are] reflective of the people they represent,” Audla said in an interview with Yahoo Canada News.

But the difficulty with doing so and keeping traditional knowledge and practices in mind “is that a lot of [that] is unwritten,” he added.

“So it’s difficult for traditional Westminster model…of governance where everything is black and white and there are set parameters, and to a certain degree Inuit knowledge is somewhat of a moving target.”

Audla noted that ITK is trying to establish some of those parameters withing Inuit historical and cultural knowledge through the organization’s Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit department.

Back in Iqaluit, Shooyook said that he has continually pushed for the government to better incorporate Inuit knowledge in legislation, particularly when it comes to spousal relationships and “instances of discord between them.”

“Inuit had traditional counselling methods tried and true over generations. Our elders held the role to counsel both older and younger couples,” he said.

George Kuksuk, Nunavut’s minister of culture and heritage, said in response to Shooyook that incorporating traditional Inuit knowledge, or Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, takes different forms depending on government department. An IQ committee works to implement those cultural practices within departments, he said.

He added that there is a need to review the government’s commitment to maintaining traditional knowledge, but did not give specifics on what that might look like or when it might take place.

“This government continually states their position that they are here to fulfill the wishes of their residents,” Shooyook said last week. “We want to see more Nunavut-specific legislation that our residents can abide by.”