Canadian Governmental Policy and Inuit Food (In)security: Community Concerns from Baffin Island

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of a government food subsidy program in different communities on Baffin Island, Nunavut, in order to understand their inefficiencies. It also reviews the concerns that are being expressed by community members via Facebook, the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), and the blog website FeedingNunavut.com. The content and thematic analyses applied to this project derive information from established data sources, examined through the theoretical lens of political economy. These issues are framed by historical colonial influences of early European trading dynamics, and demonstrate the ongoing paternal influences of the Federal Government. The thesis argues that, in part because Inuit opinions were disregarded in the implementation of Federal subsidy programs, household food insecurity rates in Northern Canada remain at nearly 70%. With governmental restrictions put on hunting and fishing, Inuit are limited in the maintenance of traditional practices and are turning to store-bought food for sustenance. However, food prices are high and food quality is sometimes low. This study of Inuit food security within Baffin thus contributes to an understanding of power and inequalities in the North.