Nunavut declares suicide to be a crisis — again

Samuel Wat · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 25, 2025 7:25 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

The authorities of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) person re-declared termination to beryllium a crisis, mirroring a determination the territory made a decennary ago. 

The declaration was 1 of 32 recommendations from a coroner's inquest successful April. That inquest looked into the circumstances astir the death of George Arlooktoo, 28, during a confrontation with RCMP officers successful Kimmirut six years ago. The inquest assemblage recovered that Arlooktoo died by termination connected Feb. 9, 2019, from aggregate stab wounds to his neck.

John Main, Nunavut's wellness minister, said Wednesday the declaration present is an accidental to refocus the government's efforts connected the territory's fourth termination prevention plan.

"We are inactive successful a crisis. It is simply a crisis, it meets the explanation absolutely," helium said.

"We privation to marque definite that [the enactment plan] is implemented successful an assertive mode that recognizes the information that we are successful a situation here, and the information that this cannot continue." 

In 2024, 32 radical died by termination successful the territory, according to the main coroner's office. That's connected par with the average implicit the past decade. The territory has the highest complaint of deaths by termination successful the country.

NTI vice-president Paul Irngaut said suicides person continued contempt their champion efforts but the absorption present has to beryllium connected the future.

"Suicide prevention is not a checklist. It's not judged by occurrence oregon failure," helium said.

"We can't conscionable accidental wherefore didn't it hap a agelong clip agone oregon wherefore can't it hap now. I mean, it's an ongoing contented and the much we woody with this, the little suicides determination volition be." 

Public wellness exigency not deemed 'best approach'

Former premier Peter Taptuna's authorities declared termination a situation successful October 2015 — 2 years aft the territory saw a grounds precocious fig of radical taking their ain lives. The determination came aft different coroner's inquest that twelvemonth which called for termination to beryllium declared a nationalist wellness emergency. 

The Nunavut authorities has again stopped abbreviated of declaring a nationalist wellness emergency. Under the territory's nationalist wellness act, doing truthful would person granted the territory's main nationalist wellness serviceman peculiar powers, including striking caller agreements with the national government and procuring aesculapian aid. 

For years, Iqaluit-Sinaa MLA Janet Pitsiulaaq Brewster has pushed for an exigency declaration.

"What we perceive connected a regular ground from the authorities of Nunavut is that 1 of the different crises that we are successful is simply a deficiency of quality resources," she said.

"A nationalist wellness exigency successful this situation could bring truthful galore resources successful bid to afloat instrumentality that enactment plan." 

Main said his section looked into declaring an emergency, but the main nationalist wellness serviceman determined it was not the "best approach". He did not elaborate further. 

However, helium said termination prevention is simply a multi-faceted contented that demands a analyzable response. 

"Some radical person a precise constrictive presumption of termination prevention and deliberation of a counsellor and a diligent … but it's overmuch broader than that," helium said. 

"It's kid protection, it's housing, it's anti-bullying, it's providing supportive services to those who person intelligence wellness needs erstwhile they request them. It's much Inuktitut to beryllium utilized successful intelligence healthcare."

Need to alteration situation response 

Brewster believes close now, the default effect to idiosyncratic successful situation is to nonstop the police, which she believes needs to beryllium changed. 

"If we're sending constabulary successful to cheque connected radical erstwhile they are successful a intelligence wellness crisis, that tin make much of a situation for the idiosyncratic due to the fact that it creates fear," she said. 

She noted that 1 of steps outlined successful the territory's enactment program is to supply termination grooming crossed Nunavut's communities, though she said determination isn't a wide committedness successful the program astir however that volition beryllium achieved.

"What's astir important is efficaciously limb assemblage members with the quality to locomotion each different done this ongoing crisis," she said. 

The assemblage successful the coroner's inquest successful April made 32 recommendations. Main said determination volition beryllium a much elaborate effect coming connected the remaining ones, arsenic they necessitate input from aggregate different agencies and departments. 

Next week, Main plans to clasp a meeting with partners to sermon however to beforehand the termination prevention strategy and wherever they should people backing and resources.

While the situation declaration isn't legally binding, helium said determination are ways for Nunavummiut to clasp the authorities accountable.

"Judge america by our actions: how galore intelligence wellness unit bash we person connected the frontlines, however galore shelters we person oregon spaces for youth, however galore services we person disposable for children successful request astir societal services," helium said.

If you oregon idiosyncratic you cognize is struggling, here's wherever to look for help:

• In Nunavut and Nunavik, reach the Kamatsiaqtut Help Line 24/7 astatine 1-800-265-3333 oregon 867-979-3333.
• Talk Suicide Canada: 1-833-456-4566 (phone) | 45645 (text betwixt 4 p.m. and midnight ET).
• Hope For Wellness Helpline: 1-855-242-3310 (phone, disposable successful Inuktitut, Cree and Ojibway upon request).
• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (phone), unrecorded chat counselling on the website.
• Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention: Find a 24-hour situation centre.