Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-2lccl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T14:18:38.228Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Beyond the harsh. Objective and subjective living conditions in Nunavut

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 September 2009

Alexandre Morin ,
Roberson Edouard  and
Gérard Duhaime
Alexandre Morin
Affiliation:
Canada Research Chair on Comparative Aboriginal Condition, Bureau 2443, Pavillon Charles-De Koninck, Université Laval, Québec, G1K 7P4Canada (ciera@ciera.ulaval.ca)
Roberson Edouard
Affiliation:
Canada Research Chair on Comparative Aboriginal Condition, Bureau 2443, Pavillon Charles-De Koninck, Université Laval, Québec, G1K 7P4Canada (ciera@ciera.ulaval.ca)
Gérard Duhaime
Affiliation:
Canada Research Chair on Comparative Aboriginal Condition, Bureau 2443, Pavillon Charles-De Koninck, Université Laval, Québec, G1K 7P4Canada (ciera@ciera.ulaval.ca)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper simultaneously analyses some objective and subjective living conditions in Nunavut (federal territory of Canada located in the Arctic) in 2001: population, housing, language, education, economic activities, health, social problems and geographic mobility. It examines original descriptive statistics from the Survey of living conditions in the Arctic and other sources. In some cases the results confirm the ordinary depressing picture of Inuit conditions, but in other cases statistics qualify or even contradict such a picture. The overall findings show that despite objective difficult conditions, Nunavummiut living in Nunavut (primarily the elites and the lower class) are generally satisfied with their communities so that the majority wishes to remain there. Certain modern social institutions and individual rationalities are contributing to this situation: wage earning, market economy, utilitarian and consumption oriented approach, democratic state based on law, formal knowledge, individualism and the capacity for self analysis. The concepts of aspiration and mastery of one's own destiny seem accurate to explain the importance of education and employment in people's satisfaction, and their dissatisfaction about the housing situation. The existence of family and neighbourhood networks appears to explain both a certain residential stability and out migration, through the social support functions of these networks, in which sharing and exchanging food play a major role. In general, if most of Nunavummiut continue to live in the Arctic despite unfavourable conditions, it is not only because they are able to ensure their material existence there, but also because they attach a meaning to and believe that that is where they have the best chance to exert the highest degree of control over their personal and domestic reality.

Type
Research Article
Information
Polar Record , Volume 46 , Issue 2 , April 2010 , pp. 97 - 112
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adams, J. 2002. Building on opportunities. In: Ingimundarson, J.H. (editor). Northern Veche. Veliky Novgorod, Russia: Stefansson Arctic Institute and University of Akureyri (Proceedings of the second Northern Research Forum): 91–94.Google Scholar
Andersen, T., and Poppel, B.. 2002. Survey of living conditions in the Arctic: Inuit, Saami and the indigenous peoples of Chukotka (SLiCA). Arctic 55 (3): 310–315.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boudon, R. 1991. Individualisme et holisme dans les sciences sociales. In: Birnbaum, P., and Leca, J. (editors). Sur l'individualisme: théories et méthodes. Paris: Presses de la Fondation nationale des sciences politiques: 45–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bourdieu, P. 1980. Le sens pratique Paris: Éditions de Minuit.Google Scholar
Bjerregaard, P., and Young, T.K.. 1998. The circumpolar Inuit. Health of a population in transition. Copenhagen: Munksgaard.Google Scholar
Bone, R.M. 1992. The geography of the Canadian north. Issues and challenges. Toronto: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) and ITK (Inuit Tapirisat of Canada). 2001. Research and consultation project concerning Inuit housing across Canada: final report. Ottawa: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.Google Scholar
Condon, R.G. 1987. Inuit youth: growth and change in the Canadian Arctic. London: Rutgers University Press.Google Scholar
Damas, D. 2002. Arctic migrants/Arctic villagers. The transformation of Inuit settlement in the central Arctic. Montréal and Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press.Google Scholar
Desmarais, D., Beauregard, F., Guérette, D., Hrimech, M., Lebel, Y., Martineau, P., and Péloquin, S.. 2000. Détresse psychologique et insertion sociale des jeunes adultes: un portrait complexe, une responsabilité collective. Sainte-Foy: Publications du Québec.Google Scholar
Dickerson, M.O. 1992. Whose north? Political change, political development, and self-government in the Northwest Territories. Vancouver and Calgary: UBC Press and Arctic Institute of North America.Google Scholar
Dorais, L.-J., and Sammons, S.. 2002. Language in Nunavut: discourse and identity in the Baffin region. Iqaluit and Québec: Nunavut Arctic College and Groupe d’études inuit et circumpolaires.Google Scholar
Dufour, R. 1994. Pistes de recherche sur les sens du suicide des adolescents inuit. Santé mentale au Québec 19 (2): 145–162.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duhaime, G. 1985. De l'igloo au H.L.M. Les Inuit sédentaires et l’État-Providence. Québec: Université Laval (Centre d’études nordiques, collection Nordicana).Google Scholar
Duhaime, G. 1983. La sédentarisation au Nouveau-Québec inuit. Études/Inuit/Studies 7 (2): 25–52.Google Scholar
Duhaime, G., and Morin, A.. 2004. Survey of living conditions in the Arctic. The mental health inventory scale (MHI-5) for psychological distress. Methodological notes. Québec: Université Laval, Chaire de recherche du Canada sur la condition autochtone comparée.Google Scholar
Duhaime, G., Searles, E., Usher, P., Myers, H., and Frechette, P.. 2004. Social cohesion and living conditions in the Canadian Arctic: from theory to measurement. Social Indicators Research 66 (3): 295–317.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duhaime, G., Morin, A., Myers, H., Caulfield, R., Fréchette, P., and St-Pierre, D.. 2002. Food networks in north American Arctic. In: Duhaime, G. (editor). Sustainable food security in the Arctic. State of knowledge. Edmonton: University of Alberta, Canadian Circumpolar Institute Press: 63–74.Google Scholar
Duhaime, G., Chabot, M., and Fréchette, P.. 1998. Portrait économique des ménages inuit du Nunavik en 1995. In: Duhaime, G. (editor). Les impacts socio-économiques de la contamination de la chaîne alimentaire au Nunavik. Québec: Université Laval, Groupe d’études inuit et circumpolaires, Université: 17–156.Google Scholar
Dumont, F., Langlois, S., and Martin, Y.. 1994. Traité des problèmes sociaux. Québec: Institut québécois de recherche sociale (IQRC).Google Scholar
Durst, D. 1991. Conjugal violence: changing attitudes in two northern native communities. Community Mental Health Journal 27 (5): 359–373.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
EORG (European Opinion Research Group). 2003. The Mental health status of the European population, Brussels: European Commission.Google Scholar
Graburn, N. 1987. Severe child abuse among Canadian Inuit. In: Scheper-Hugues, N. (editor). Child survival, Dordrecht: D. Reidel: 211–225.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kirmayer, L.J., Hayton, B., Malus, M., Jimenez, V., Dufour, R., Quesney, C., Ternar, Y., Yu, T., and Ferrara, N.. 1993. Suicide in Canadian aboriginal populations: emerging trends in research and intervention. Montréal: Culture and Mental Health Research Unit, Institute of Community and Family Psychiatry, Sir Mortimer B. Davis. Jewish General Hospital (report no. 1).Google Scholar
Kishigami, N. 2002. Urban Inuit in Canada: a case from Montreal. Indigenous Affairs (3–4): 54–59.Google Scholar
Kishigami, N. 1999. Why do Inuit move to Montreal? A research note on urban Inuit. Études/Inuit/Studies 23 (1–2): 221–227.Google Scholar
Kral, M.J. 2003. Unikkaartuit: meanings of well-being, sadness, suicide, and change in two Inuit communities. Ottawa: Health Canada (final report to the National Health Research and Development Programs).Google Scholar
MSSSN (Ministère de la Santé et des Services Sociaux du Nunavut). 2004. Rapport du Nunavut sur les indicateurs comparables de la santé 2004. Iqaluit: Government of Nunavut.Google Scholar
Morin, A. 2004. Beyond the colonial discourse on Inuit social problems. In: Myers, H., and Reschny, J. (editors). Beyond boom and bust in the circumpolar north. Prince George: University of Northern British Columbia Press (Circumpolar Arctic social sciences Ph.D. network. Proceedings of the eighth conference): 163–176.Google Scholar
Morin, A. 2006. Recueil statistique sur la pauvreté et les inégalités socioéconomiques au Québec. Québec: Institut de la statistique du Québec and Ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale.Google Scholar
Pampalon, R., and Raymond, G.. 2003. Indice de défavorisation matérielle et sociale: son application au secteur de la santé et du bien-être. Santé, Société et Solidarité 1: 191–208.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schofield, M.A. 1998. Exploring dropout amongst Inuit high school students in Nunavut. Unpublished MA dissertation, University of Calgary, Department of Psychology.Google Scholar
STC (Statistique Canada). 2003a. Enquête auprès des peuples autochtones 2001: guide des concepts et méthodes. Ottawa: Statistique Canada (document 89–591-XIF).Google Scholar
STC (Statistique Canada). 2003b. Enquête auprès des peuples autochtones de 2001, premiers résultats: Bien-être de la population autochtone vivant hors réserve. Ottawa: Statistique Canada (document 89–589-XIF).Google Scholar
STC (Statistique Canada). 2004. Indicateurs de la santé. Ottawa: Statistique Canada (document 82–221-XIF).Google Scholar
STC (Statistique Canada). 2005a. Profil des communautés de 2001. Ottawa: Statistique Canada (data bank 93F0053XIF). URL: http://www12.statcan.ca/francais/Profil01/PlaceSearchForm1_F.cfm.Google Scholar
STC (Statistique Canada). 2005b. Profil de la population autochtone du recensement de 2001. Ottawa: Statistique Canada. (data bank 94F0043XIF) URL: http://www12.statcan.ca/francais/Profil01ab/PlaceSearchForm1_F.cfm.Google Scholar
STC (Statistique Canada). 2005c. Profils des communautés de l'Enquête auprès des peuples autochtones de 2001. Ottawa: Statistique Canada (data bank 89590XIF). URL: http://www12.statcan.ca/francais/Profil01aps/home_f.cfm.Google Scholar
STC (Statistique Canada). 2005d. Tableaux sommaires. Ottawa: Statistique Canada. URL: http://www40.statcan.ca/index_f.htm.Google Scholar
STC (Statistique Canada). 2005e. Projections des populations autochtones. Canada, provinces et territoires. 2001 à 2017. Ottawa: Statistique Canada (document 91–547-XIF).Google Scholar
STC (Statistique Canada). 2005f. Indicateurs de la santé, Ottawa: Statistique Canada (document 82– 221). URL: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82–221-x/2004002/t/pdf/4249918-fra.pdf.Google Scholar
STC (Statistique Canada). 2005g. La population autochtone du Canada en 2017. Le Quotidien. 28 June 2005 Ottawa: Statistique Canada (document 11-001-XIF): 9–10.Google Scholar
STC (Statistique Canada). 2008. Aboriginal peoples in Canada in 2006: Inuit, Métis and first nations, 2006 Census. Ottawa: Statistique Canada (document 97-558-XIF).Google Scholar
Usher, P., Duhaime, G., and Searles, E.. 2003. The household as an economic unit in Arctic aboriginal communities and its measurement by means of a comprehensive survey. Social Indicators Research 61 (2): 175–202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vallerand, R.J. 1994. Les fondements de la psychologie sociale. Boucherville: Gaëtan Morin.Google Scholar
Weber, M. 1922. Économie et société: 1. Les catégories de la sociologie. Paris: Plon.Google Scholar
Wood, D.S. 1997. Violent crime and characteristics of twelve Inuit communities in the Baffin Region, Northwest Territories, Canada. Unpublished PhD dissertation, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver: Department of criminology.Google Scholar
Zellerer, E. 1989. Violence against Inuit women in the Canadian eastern Arctic. Unpublished PhD dissertation, University of Toronto, Department of criminology.Google Scholar