Makivik Magazine Issue 72

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LISA KOPERQUALUK
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Makivik witnesses at the federal standing committee.
wasn't a family... A wrong was done to the people of the Arctic
and this has to be rectified." Strangely enough, no representative
from the Department of Indian Affairs appeared before the
committee.
The RCMP did provide a witness: Chief Superintendent Kevin
Vickers. According to Chief Vickers, most police files from the period
1950-1960 have been destroyed and no information has been found
to indicate the existence of any policy regarding the destruction
of sled dogs. He admitted "destruction of stray and/or suffering
animals by police may have led to confusion and resentment born
from a lack of understanding as to the long-term and wider implications
of an epidemic on dog populations, as well as the threat
this posed to residents of the North." On a more reconciliatory
tone, he stated: "If the RCMP did anything to hurt the Inuit, today
I would like to offer my apologies on behalf of the RCMP."
During its hearings on March 10th, the Committee heard very
moving testimonies from Nunavut witnesses Joanasie Maniapik
and Alicee Joamie. Many spectators were in tears during Alicee's
moving description of her experience when her husband's dogs
were shot by RCMP officers and of her feelings of betrayal. "The
RCMP were the ones we looked up to for help and they were the
ones who shot the dogs," she said.
The Committee adopted a motion to request that the government
appoint, before April 15th, 2005, a Superior Court judge to
inquire into the matter and to submit a report by July 15th, 2005.
The motion was hotly debated and only passed by a vote of six
to four. The Liberal party committee members voted against the
motion, despite an appeal from Senator Charlie Watt that his Liberal
colleagues leave partisan politics aside in the name of justice.
Further support for an inquiry arrived from Nunavut on
March 22nd when the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut unanimously
passed a motion calling on the federal government to establish
a judicial inquiry into the slaughter of Inuit sled dogs that took
place from 1950 to 1970.
The federal government did not accept the Standing
Committee's specific request for a judicial inquiry. However, a
deputy minister may yet be appointed to produce a report on the
issue for government.
No action has yet been taken by the Québec government
toward responding to Makivik's demands.
Pita Aatami is determined that governments must apologize
and provide compensation for the dog killings. "We will keep fighting
until we come to an acceptable resolution of this issue. If all
other avenues fail, Makivik will bring the matter to the United
Nations."