Makivik Magazine Issue 72
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
kN[7u e1ü5 gdC3bsMs3ymJ5<br />
x3ÇAw5 !(%)-l !(^)-l xg3tlQ5<br />
x9Mbq5 ÷nM8 ÙEx5<br />
Dog Slaughters in Nunavik during the<br />
1950s and 1960s<br />
By Jocelyn Barrett<br />
c7usi3nso3uJ6 mr{[f5 !(%)-l !(^)-l x3ÇAq8i v?m4f5<br />
tosEiq5 mo5bst9lQ5 e1ü5 gdCbsmiq8k5 wozJi<br />
€3eAt5nys3Xbu8i4 WANsi3nsoMsEK5<br />
bm8N gdC3bspxc3ymi6 mr{[f5 xzJ3çzb Wb €bus2<br />
gnEsMs3ymIz !(((-at9lA mr{[s2 S3gi3nq5tA5 kNo8k5<br />
x3[b3ic3ht4. Ö5hmi wk8i4 kNou8îgi4 grynEx3[c3iu4<br />
WNhx3ht4 gn3tbsc5byMsJK5 whµl8Ng3bo8i4 e1ü5<br />
gdC3bstbsMs3i[iq8i4 si4vsysJi4 bm8NlÅ6<br />
!(%)-il !(^)-il x©tIsMs3ym5hi kN[oµu. bm8N<br />
scctŒAbs7mEQx9MyMsJ7uJ6 !(((-at9lA dx3bu<br />
mr{[f5 x3ÇAbµ3ystu8i4 vtmi7mEc3tlQ5, b4vi vtmi3u<br />
grÌDtsMs3ymJ6 mr{[f5 S3g3inq5 WNhx3bc3ixo3tlQ5<br />
cspn3bst5yMe4vCh9lt4 ckw¬3ht4 e1ugw8Ni4<br />
gdêi3u4 WNhx3Xoxy8im¯b x7ml grytbs5JtÌChx3lt4<br />
w˜is1q©3bstNhx3lt9l x1ml kN[7us5 ®NsItA5 xro3bslt4<br />
h4fpxaymi3k5 wozt9lQ5.<br />
x3CÅ2 gzozi, xW3hDt[î5 mr{[f5 topAt[iq5<br />
kxbsmoMsJ5 xW3hbsJ[ist9lQ5 e1uui4 N7ui3ui4<br />
gdC3bspxcMs3g[î5 xyq9l gdêJi4 bf8Ngw8NMs3g[î5.<br />
Ì4fx w¬8Nt4 vtoCu4, !%) szÌi5g5 gdêisymJi4 mr{[f8k5<br />
si4vsyc3ymMsJK5. x9Mdtgc3i4 eu3DbsJcoMsJ7uJ6 fÑ4<br />
ytul, xgÛul x1ml swiÑ1u.<br />
µ5p @)))-ao3tlA, mr{[f5 x9Myx3ymZh7mE5gi4<br />
xb8isDtosoMsJK6 fÑ4 v?mzk5 xb8iso3hi e1ui4<br />
gdêi[i3u4 !(%)-u5 !(&% tr5hA rNoµ4fi4 xW3hvb9lt4<br />
cspndo3hQ5. x7mbs6 µ5p @)))-a7ut9lA mr{[4,<br />
WNhctco3hi er3bi wkw5 vg5pctŒ5gfq8i4, x5pZMq8i4<br />
xb8isDtosctcoMsJQK6 Ì4fxo xb8isDtq5 vNbs2 v?mzk5<br />
v?mgc4fk5 giMsIq5. bm3u4 Ì4fx v?msÔ4 fÑ4fl v?mgc4fl<br />
v?mq4 xqMs3ym1q©4 mr{[s2 xb8isDtQNh5bq8i4.<br />
g1z[Q5hQ5 mr{[f5 hoiêAt5nui4 kx5yymAtq,<br />
Ö4fx e1ü5 gdC3bsyMs3id5 gdC3bsdIsy5ht9l v?msJk5<br />
WNh5gk5. e1ui4 N7uiø5 kN[7us5 kNo7ui9l yKo3tq5<br />
xb8is[sMs3ym8iq5g5 cspQx3[sZt9l gdêAmJi9l<br />
xq3ymAtui4 gipMs3iCt4. wMq5 gdêî5 whµl1qgk5<br />
Wix3iEIsymJ5 wMztAx9˜5 f5nN3gx¬t9lQ5 gdêAyq5<br />
v?msJ9l WNh5tq5 gryt5yyx3ymZ˜5ymZt4. s9luj5 bmgjz<br />
h3Cbsv9MymisJ5 x©t?5g5 x7ml kN[s2 e1ugw8NnIq5<br />
<strong>Makivik</strong> Corporation has recently moved closer toward resolving<br />
the long-standing issue of the dog killings undertaken by government<br />
representatives in the 1950s and 1960s.<br />
The issue was first brought to the attention of <strong>Makivik</strong><br />
president Pita Aatami during the 1999 executive field trip. During<br />
the community consultations, disturbing reports of a systematic<br />
slaughtering of sled dogs in Nunavik in the 1950s and 1960s<br />
became a recurring theme. The issue was discussed at length<br />
and with much emotion in Quaqtaq at the 1999 <strong>Makivik</strong> AGM,<br />
where it was resolved that the <strong>Makivik</strong> executives should take all<br />
actions necessary to investigate the circumstances surrounding<br />
the slaughters and to seek explanations, an apology and compensation<br />
for Nunavimmiut.<br />
Over the course of the following year, interviewers mandated<br />
by <strong>Makivik</strong> compiled testimonies of individuals who lost their dogs<br />
to the slaughters or who witnessed the slaughters. Altogether,<br />
over 150 accounts of the slaughters were brought forward to<br />
<strong>Makivik</strong>. Archival research was also undertaken in Québec City,<br />
Ottawa and Winnipeg.<br />
In March 2000, <strong>Makivik</strong> formulated a request to the Québec<br />
government for a public inquiry to be undertaken into the dog killings<br />
in Nunavik during the period 1950-1975. Also in March 2000<br />
<strong>Makivik</strong>, in collaboration with the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, made<br />
a similar request to the federal government. Neither the Québec<br />
government nor the Canadian government at that time accepted<br />
<strong>Makivik</strong>'s request.<br />
According to the evidence gathered by <strong>Makivik</strong>, the slaughters<br />
were carried out, or ordered to be carried out, by government<br />
agents. The owners of the dogs, the population of Nunavik and its<br />
leaders were not consulted, nor did they give their consent to the<br />
dog killings. Some of the slaughters were conducted in a negligent<br />
and dangerous manner and government agents gave very little or<br />
no explanations. The repercussions are continuing to this date and<br />
the Nunavik purebred husky dog is presently nearly extinct.<br />
The governments’ rationale for implementing measures that<br />
led to the slaughters seems to have been based on a concern for<br />
health and public safety. However, the governments were negligent<br />
in the manner in which they approached what they considered to<br />
MAKIVIK mag a zine<br />
27
Change language