I am grateful for the article about lives of Inuit in Ottawa
Re: Ottawa’s urban Inuit renaissance, April 18
Thank you for your informative and comprehensive article on the Inuit in Ottawa. It brought back many fond memories.
In 1967, I was hired as a social worker by the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development to set up resources and counselling services for the Inuit living and working in Ottawa.
I was paid for 20 hours of work and I could choose the hours. The minister for Northern Affairs was Jean Chrétien.
Having three sons aged seven, six and four, I was delighted with this arrangement and challenged by this unique and interesting assignment.
At that time there were translators, interpreters, artists, editors and others who came to Ottawa to work on special projects, usually for short periods of time. They called Ottawa the south. From the moment these people landed in Ottawa they had to deal with myriad situations that were incomprehensible to them and at times frightening. They were often taken advantage of. They were lonely for their own people, food and understanding of their culture and way of life. Money management, alcohol and drug abuse were problem areas. Daily sessions to help improve their English language skills were set up and attended.
I was able to interest a doctor who was knowledgeable about Inuit respiratory needs to care for their health, and was aware of the prevalence of birthmarks on the backs of children and did not see it as abuse. The president of the Ottawa dental society was approached and agreed to work with individual Inuit.
Connecting the Inuit to specific community resources was another aspect of my work. For example, several meetings with the Planned Parenthood Clinic were arranged for the women.
Loneliness for home and family was only natural.
I was able to arrange for meetings once a week at a bowling alley where they were able to socialize with each other. Because of the cool short summers in the north, most of this group had not learned to swim. Swimming lessons were arranged for them. They learned quickly.
I was called on to assist with activities of daily living such as shopping, cooking, transportation and finding living arrangements.
This group of people were amazingly resilient — so many new ideas and situations they had to learn to respond to in real time.
After three years, my part-time job was, sadly for me, transferred to Yellowknife.
Many of the Inuit I was fortunate to meet during that special time in my life remain friends of our family today.
I am grateful and treasure that special time. Thank you for this full and heart warming article. I plan to share it with Inuit friends residing in Cape Dorset and Yellowknife.