Councillors commit to helping homeless in Nunavut’s capital – Nunatsiaqonline
“We’re going to save lives”
January 12, 2017
Faced with fresh and dire reminders of how difficult it is to be homeless through an Arctic winter, Iqaluit city councillors have renewed their commitment to helping the local homeless population.
Coun. Joanasie Akumalik raised the issue at Iqaluit’s first city council meeting of 2017 Jan. 10, saying that in light of the December death of Jake Angurasuk, a man who frequented the Iqaluit men’s shelter, the city must do more to support homeless people and the facilities they use.
“Jake Angurasuk had no ID at all so therefore he didn’t exist in the eyes of the city and the GN [Government of Nunavut] and the federal government. He had no way of applying for income support program to keep alive. Those are the things that we also need to deal with,” Akumalik said.
