(Ottawa, ON) 5 octobre 2021 – On this week’s Roots & Hoots episode, host Gordon Spence, is pleased to be joined by former Premier of Nunavut Paul Quassa. Paul Quassa has had a long life in politics. From working in the Land Claims Department for Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, to his time as mayor of Igloolik, then being elected to the Nunavut Legislative Assembly, becoming Minister of Education, followed by time as Premier of Nunavut and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Paul Quassa shares with us his humour, his storytelling, and his wise perspective as a proud Inuk.

Né dans un igloo près d'Igloolik dans les années 1950, Paul décrit faire partie de cette dernière génération d'Inuits à être nés dans cet ancien mode de vie qui comprenait des tâches traditionnelles et la vie sur la terre. Il a vécu avec sa famille jusqu'à l'âge de six ans, lorsque les Qallunaat (Blancs/non-Inuits) sont venus emmener les enfants au pensionnat de Chesterfield Inlet. Il parle avec Gordon des changements qui se sont produits tout au long de sa vie, y compris le passage des attelages de chiens aux motoneiges.

Paul also spoke of his time at Residential School and how time away from his family affected his perspective. Breaking the family ties by removing children was so opposite to the Inuit way of life. Paul acknowledges that this was likely the purpose of these schools. There is even a reference to the disc numbers that were given to the Inuit, including his: E5-1231. Luckily this policy for naming people as numbers didn’t last but he regards it as a part of his naming story. The two talk about all the changes that have taken place over the last few decades, including how climate change is impacting life up North. Paul notes the way the Qallunaat used to look down on the Inuit instead of seeing them at an even level, and how this was meant to remove a sense of pride from the Inuit. Paul speaks to the journey that has been taken to reclaim that pride and what has been done to preserve the Inuit culture and sovereignty, including the success of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.

The LHF has been in operation for more than 21 years as a national, Indigenous-led, charitable organization that has been working to promote healing and Reconciliation in Canada. The LHF’s goal is to educate and raise awareness about the history and existing intergenerational impacts of the Residential School System, Sixties Scoop, Day Schools and other colonial acts of oppression on Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) Peoples.

The LHF has 25 exhibitions that are available for loan for free. One exhibition, Escaping Residential Schools: Running for their Lives, is now available through an animated virtual video, along with the Survivors’ Oral Testimonies. The exhibition examines the experience of Survivors of the Residential School System and raises awareness on the impacts it has on our communities. For more information on the project, please visit: http://legacyofhope.ca/project/escapingrs/ La FAE travaille à la mise en ligne de ses autres expositions.

La LHF propose également un programme de la maternelle à la 12e année et pour les adultes, ainsi que des guides d'activités, des ateliers et des formations, et des balados, tous visant à éduquer les Canadiens sur l'histoire autochtone et l'histoire commune des pensionnats indiens, la rafle des années 60, les femmes autochtones disparues et assassinées et Écoles de filles et de jour. La LHF travaille à développer l'empathie et la compréhension afin d'éliminer le racisme et de favoriser la réconciliation au Canada.

Pour acheter une ressource, un T-shirt orange ou faire un don à la FAE, ou pour plus d'informations sur la FAE, veuillez visiter le www.legacyofhope.ca.Notre numéro d'organisme de bienfaisance est le 863471520RR0001.