National Inuit Leader Calls for Immediate Response to Arctic Mental Health Crisis
Media Release
June 9, 2011 – Ottawa, Ontario – National Inuit Leader Mary Simon, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami called for urgent investment in community-based mental health programs in all Inuit communities in response to a series of senseless and violent deaths that show the troubling state of mental health in Canada’s Arctic.The bodies of four family members – including two young children – were discovered this week in Iqaluit. The RCMP major crimes unit and forensic identification services continue to investigate.
Residents of Kuujjuaq, Nunavik (Northern Quebec) are grieving the suicide deaths of two teenage girls in less than two months.
And a man in Nain, Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador), entered into a standoff with police last month after firing two shots inside his home and threatening to take his life.
“These incidences are just the tip of the iceberg – there are many more I could mention,” said Simon.
“I am profoundly saddened by this continuous and accelerating pattern of violence in the Arctic and I send my deepest condolences to the families. Nunavut, Nunavik and Nunatsiavut are in social crisis. We must respond with extraordinary measures – measures commensurate with the magnitude of the issue. Our people are dying. We need help and we need it now.”
The suicide rate among Inuit is more than 11 times the national rate. Injury is the leading cause of death among Aboriginal children and youth.
In advance of the latest federal budget, Simon wrote to Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty requesting a onetime $15 million investment over five years targeted specifically for Inuit mental health programs in Canada’s four Inuit regions.
She welcomed the announcement yesterday by Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq of $27 million for mental health projects in rural, northern and Aboriginal communities across Canada, but said that the crisis in Inuit communities requires specific attention – from all jurisdictions, including provincial and territorial governments.
She also acknowledged the quick actions of Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak in securing counselling services following the deaths in Iqaluit.
Inuit priorities for mental health are set out in the Alianait Mental Wellness Action Plan. They include ensuring a continuum of culturally relevant mental wellness programs and supports, recognizing the community as the best resource in addressing mental wellness – and, critically, investing in community capacity. But to be effective, the plan must be funded.
“Surely we owe urgent action to our people and communities,” said Simon. “As a nation, we cannot tolerate this situation in the very regions of our country that represent the crown jewel of Canada’s future.
“I am calling on federal, provincial and territorial governments,, as well as regional and national Inuit organizations – including ITK – to assemble an intervention team to work with leaders and practitioners to determine what resources are needed immediately and in the next few years to stem the tide of this horrific violence.”
Contact
Patricia D’Souza
Senior Communications Officer and Parliamentary Coordinator
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
dsouza@itk.ca; 613/292-4482
Contact:
Stephen Hendrie, Director of Communications
Tel: 613.277.3178, hendrie@itk.ca
(Media enquiries only. General requests can be sent to info@itk.ca or you can visit our contact page for more ways to contact us.)
