“We are C

anadians, too!’

Arctic people tell Ottawa

On May 26 history was made in Canada when four rep-
resentatives,of the more than 10,000 Canadian Arctic people
appeared for the first time before the Eskimo Affairs Com-

‘mittee of the Department of Northern Affairs and Natural —

Resources in Ottawa.

At a day-long session the
four delegates presented the
views of their people on a
number of matters, including
criticisms and _ complaints
against the’ way the govern-
ment was handling their af-
fairs and a plea that they be
given the same opportunities
as other Canadians for work,
education and living condi-
tions.

The four spokesmen were:
George Koneak, 29, from Fort
Chimo, on the Quebec side
of Ungava Bay; John Ayaru-
ark, 53, hard - rock miner
from Rankin Inlet; Abraham
Ogpik, 31, from Aklavik; and
Singitok, another miner from

Rankin Inlet, who was not an

official delegate but who paid
his own way to Ottawa so he
could be heard.

Following are just a few
excerpts from their stirring
presentation:

xt xt $03

On Job Opportunities:

Ogpik: “No good Eskimo
wants to live on relief but re-

é

cent conditions in the north
have forced. us into this posi-
tion.”

“Are we going to turn our
people into lazy bums, living
on government handouts? Or
are we going to give them
the chance to earn their own
living, which most of us
want to do?”

“We consider money spent
on relief for us could be
spent better on some _ pro-
ject, like mink-farming, fish-
ing, or trapping. We want to
make money instead of going
to the office and get relief.”

bes it xt

Qn Education:

Ogpik (replying to a gov-
ernment official’s report that
more than 300 Eskimos re-
ceived vocational training last
year):

“If they want-to train us
why not give us two or three
years training? They put us
in school for three months
and then expect us to com-
pete with people who have
had training and schooling.”

“They want the Eskimos to

have some say in their own
problems.. How are we going
to express ourselves when we
don’t know how to get up and

speak? We only know how
to hunt and trap.”
it 503 t
On Food:
Ayaruark: “Food of the
white people is not good

enough. We still need the
strong food of the land.” (The
traditional seal and caribou
meat). ae

Noting that the white peo--

ple have their food sent in
from the south: “Why, then,
should not the Eskimos have
their food sent in from the
land?”

t xt xt

On Discrimination:

Ayaruark: “No matter what
we do and learn, we still don’t
have the same rights as the
whites, There has been a lot
of discrimination The
Election Act says we can vote.
We are citizens of Canada.
When we work we pay taxes,
when we go to hospital we
pay our bill.”

°On Housing:

Singitok: “When someone is
sent up north by Ottawa,

they build him a_ first-class
house. But the Eskimo, who
may have been working 10
Years for the government,
still lives in a shack.”

Continued from page

If we don’t say much

WHALEN ON PAYROL

resignation, and also the res-
ignations of the entire execu-
tive board if they are men
enough to offer their resigna-
tions.” ‘
Jim Bury: “The question of
how to get Whalen on the
payroll has caused a serious
split in the labor movement.
When no one wanted me on a
union payroll I went back and
worked six months in a
slaughterhouse — and I did
not get a council credential
from an office workers’ un-
ion, I think the executive has

June 19, 1959 — PACIFIC TRIBU

On Administration of
Affairs: :

Ogpik: “We must have
ple who understand the E
mo way of thinking. We!
put our emphasis on what
Eskimo thinks is imp
To understand this ta
good deal of experience.
xt tt 2

On the Eskimo “Way of Li!
Ogpik: “We, too, have
ideas on where we W
live and how we want to

doesn’t mean we don’t
stand.” ;

Ayaruark: “Now is the
for us. to take on compl
a way of life suchas you
In Ottawa I see how pe
live. Eskimos can live in
same .way. It is not ju
white man’s way of life,
the way anyone can live.

Koneak: “We are Cana
too, and We want to wor
gether to help the Arctic
the Eskimo,

1

4

violated the constitution.”

Ray McCarthy: “Whale
should resign as president
he wishes to become
employee.” ‘

John Hines: “The exe
live is using a constitutio!
gimmick to change the @
cision of this council, wh
voted against paying Wha
as president.” eS

and the vote was taken,