Inuit leaders urge Ottawa to follow Greenland’s infrastructure lead

Inuit leaders returning from a recent trip to Greenland say the infrastructure gap between that Nordic country and Canada’s North is stark, and are urging the federal government to address it urgently as it increases its focus on Arctic security.

Infrastructure Disparities

“They’re way ahead of us,” said Paul Irngaut, president of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI), the group representing Inuit in Nunavut. “We’re the last people that the government thinks about until now because of the political climate.”

Irngaut was part of an Inuit delegation that travelled to Nuuk last week for the official opening of the Canadian Consulate, a show of solidarity against potential U.S. takeover threats.

Irngaut previously visited Greenland’s capital three years ago to explore the possibility of creating a similar university in Canada, specifically looking at the University of Greenland (Ilisimatusarfik). “What we want to see here in Nunavut is a building like that,” he said.

Stability and Sustainability in the Arctic

All communities in Inuit Nunangat are powered by diesel except Inukjuak, Que., which is transitioning to hydro power. In contrast, the majority of communities in Greenland already utilize hydro power.

Inuit Nunangat has one deepwater port in Iqaluit, which faces more challenges with seasonal ice than the deepwater port in Nuuk, which has a greater cargo capacity.

Greenland’s education system utilizes Kalaallisut, the language of Greenlandic Inuit, as the primary language of instruction in post-secondary education. In contrast, Inuktitut, the language of Inuit Nunangat, is not the primary language of instruction for most Inuit students in their homeland.

“Those are all things that we wish for here in Canada,” said Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the national advocacy organization for Inuit in Canada. “We do hope at this time when there’s more of a bright light and a focus on the Arctic that the Canadian government not think of this in terms of militarization and building only the things necessary to support fighter jets and warships, but the functioning and stability and sustainability of our communities as well.”

Federal Funding for Inuit-Led University

Earlier this week, ITK selected the Nunavut hamlet of Arviat to host the main campus of a new Inuit-led university. Inuit leaders are awaiting the federal government’s commitment of funding and legislation to allow the university to operate across multiple jurisdictions, including Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, northern Quebec and Labrador.

Young people from Arviat expressed optimism about the university’s potential impact. “It will open a lot of doors because I know it’s hard for a lot of Inuit to move from their homes thousands of kilometres away just to go to school,” said Tyson Prusky, 19, originally from Arviat.

Tyson’s sister, Chelsea Uppahuak-Prusky, 21, echoed this sentiment, describing the difficulty of leaving her home community to attend the Nunavut Sivuniksavut College in Ottawa. She and her brother plan to apply to the new university when it opens in 2030, either as students or staff.

“I never thought it would become possible,” she said. “That opportunity finally arising for the next generations means a lot.”

Canada’s only Arctic-region university is located in Yukon, which is not part of Inuit Nunangat.

Irngaut stated that federal investment in an Inuit-led university, housing, and other critical needs would demonstrate Canada’s commitment to Inuit communities and assert its sovereignty in the Arctic. “It shows that Canada cares about our Inuit,” Irngaut said. “That they care about our youth and they support higher learning for Inuit.”