Listening Sessions in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet, Nunavut – June 5th and June 7th, 2023

The Iqaluit Listening Session took place on June 5th in Nunavut’s capital. Participants were hosted at the Parish Hall within the city centre. There were approximately 20 participants from a variety of organizations and regions of the territory. Members of Nunavut’s land claim organization, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, were present, as well as sports and recreation staff from the Government of Nunavut. There were various staff from non-profit organizations, territorial sports organizations (TSO), youth athletes, as well as Youth Ambassadors. The regions and hamlets represented include the Kivalliq region (Baker Lake and Arviat), Qikiqtaaluk (Kinngait and Iqaluit) and Kitikmeot (Cambridge Bay). During the four-hour session, we collected feedback on sports, recreation, physical activity, and traditional practices.

The Rankin Inlet Listening Session was completed June 7th at the Katimavik Suites meeting room. Five individuals were engaged – a long-time recreation leader, Government of Nunavut sports and recreation staff, and a representative from both the Kivalliq Inuit Association and the Nunavut Literacy Council. The participants were from Rankin Inlet and Baker Lake, both within the Kivalliq region.

The PT lead and PT coordinator engaged participants at both sessions in the following topics:

  • Sports, recreation, physical activity, and traditional practices available to you
  • Sports, recreation, physical activity, and traditional practices not available but would like to see
  • Barriers to participation in sports, recreation, physical activity, and traditional practices
  • Solutions to address the barriers to participation
  • Defining what a safe, welcoming environment looks or feels like
  • How sport, physical activity, recreation, and traditional practices can be used to advance participation and wellness
  • What type of information is needed to help support knowledge of Indigenous sport, physical activity, recreation, and traditional practices
  • Changes to the programs and future development of programs related to sport, physical activity, recreation and traditional practices in the short/medium/long term
  • Regional and territorial considerations for developing a National Strategy
  • Needs related to implementing a National Strategy with an identification of where the gaps are

The resulting discussion with participants focused predominantly on challenges and barriers to participation in the territory, the solutions available to meet these challenges, territorial considerations for the National Strategy, and, lastly, the narrative surrounding sports, competitive sports, and recreation.

In both sessions, it was noted that others need to engage in the discussion across Nunavut and particularly the smaller communities where the barriers could be different and more significant. The PT lead and coordinator are hopeful that broader engagement may be achieved through a Nunavut-specific virtual session and/or other National virtual sessions scheduled to take place before the end of June. Invitations will be widely circulated and shared with those who have already provided their input so that the opportunity for further engagement is broadcasted across the territory.

The main themes identified through both Listening Sessions can be summarized in the following three categories:

Collaboration

Stress was placed on the need for collaboration and cooperation amongst all partners including non-profits, TSOs, funders, land claim organizations, District Education Authorities, hamlet governments, Nunavut government divisions (Family Wellness, Sports and Recreation, Justice, Culture and Heritage, and Health), and recreation coordinators to allow for efficient and effective delivery of programs and services related to sports, recreation, physical activity, and traditional activities across the territories. These partners are working in silos rather than synergistically. All parties involved have the same goals of improving the lives of Inuit, communities, regions, and the territory.

Equity

Creating equitable access to sports, recreation, physical activity, and traditional activities was discussed and identified as an integral component in addressing barriers among Inuit children, youth, young adults, and communities in accessing and participating. To have equity across the hamlets, there must be grass root development at the community level supported by all levels of government, funders, non-profits, TSOs, and territorial Inuit organizations.

The primary focus, given limited resources, is on competitive sports. Of note, Nunavut has produced many talented athletes, such as the territory’s hockey team that won the territory’s first gold medal at the Arctic Winter Games (source) and last year an Inuk athlete was awarded a gold medal in wrestling at Canada’s Summer Games (source). One of the participants at the Iqaluit session is also a Loran Scholar and recognized short-track skater (source). However, other forms of recreation are not always given as much funding and attention but is noted as critical for developing leadership and other life skills and is key to wellness and adopting healthy lifestyles for the longer term.

Investment

To support the pillar of equitable access, long-term investment is required. Nunavut’s 25 hamlets each employ a recreation coordinator to support community health and wellness through sports, recreation (identified as a large component), physical activity, and traditional practices. These recreation coordinators are underfunded, under supported, and undervalued positions within a majority of the hamlets, leading to burnout. More training, experience, and mentorship is needed to set these coordinators up for success. Moreover, an increase in compensation would hopefully promote more community members to engage in training for this role and build the value and recognition of this role within the hamlet.

These two sessions were insightful and valuable and offered a plethora of constructive ideas and actions to address challenges and barriers in the development and delivery of programs and services related to sports, recreation, physical activity, and traditional activities.

Thank you to the Government of Nunavut Sports and Recreation division staff for all your support with organizing, facilitating, translating, and participating in the Listening Sessions. Thank you to the Youth Ambassadors, NTI representatives, RPAN and NANPO staff, hamlet recreation leader, youth athletes, and other participants for joining and engaging with us in this valuable discussion.

Connect with us!

https://indigenousinmotion.ca/participate