Press Release
Kuujjuaq, Québec, October 22, 2012 – Last week, representatives from every Nunavik community and regional organizations wrapped up extensive discussions on health and social services, youth protection services, policing, justice and correctional services, as well as education and employment. In all these sectors, stakeholders have for years been struggling to implement adequate responses to complex social problems, exacerbated in particular by alcohol and drug abuse.
“Far from focusing on our problems, this conference gave us an unprecedented opportunity to explore alternative solutions –like the Social Regulation Project,” concluded Maggie Emudluk, Chairperson of the Kativik Regional Government (KRG). “Participants were able to share grass-root ideas. They are returning to their communities with the knowledge that we are all part of the solution, although a lot of hard work remains ahead of us.”
Led by Minnie Grey, chairperson of the Regional Partnership Committee, and Lizzie Aloupa, a prevention counsellor with the Kativik Regional Police Force, the conference comprised two days of workshops on the current state of affairs and a third day of group discussions on alternative approaches to the region’s social problems. A declaration adopted by the participants at the close of the conference called on Nunavimmiut to take responsibility and address the social problems facing their communities through local initiatives. A proposed pilot project on Reconstructing Social Regulations was also presented and received support from the conference participants, as being an initiative that deserves to be looked at as an alternative to a justice system that is not addressing the causes of crime…
The Regional Conference on Prevention and Empowerment was organized by the KRG Legal, Socio- Judicial and Municipal Management Department in close cooperation with the Regional Partnership Committee, the Kativik Regional Police Force, the Makivvik, the Kativik School Board, the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, as well as the Ungava Tulattavik and Inuulitsivik health centres. Conference participants included three representatives from each community, individuals recognized for their involvement in important social issues. On return to their communities, these participants are being encouraged to organize formal and informal follow-up in order to share with their fellow residents the documentation and ideas brought forward at the conference. To obtain a copy of the pilot project, Reconstructing Social Regulation document contact:
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Information:Caroline D’Astous
Communications Officer, KRG
Tel. 819-964-2961, ext. 2384
media@krg.ca Kitty Gordon
Communications Officer, Makivvik
kgordon@makivik.org to download the PDF version of the Press Release