Inuit women's groups ask for apology after senator accuses them of racism

Two women's groups in Nunavut are calling for an apology from the territory's senator, after he suggested they may have racist motivations in their reaction to the selection ofcommissioners for the inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

Prior to the selection of commissioners, PauktuutitInuit Women of Canadacalledfor an Inuk commissioner on the inquiry, saying it was needed for Inuit to befully included in the process.An Inuk commissioner was not included, but Ottawalawyer Qajaq Robinson, who was raised in Nunavut and speaks fluent Inuktitut, was.

However, Robinson is not Inuk. Her selection promptedboth Pauktuutitand the Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council to condemn the omission, asking that a sixth commissioner be added to the list.

'Racism... is exactly what is motivating'

Nunavut senator Dennis Patterson weighed in on the controversy in an op-ed published Sept. 21 in the National Observer, equating the reaction to Robinson's appointmentto his own experienceas a senator.

"I believe that unfortunately racism is exactly what is motivating Pauktuutit, Canada's national Inuit women's association, and the Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council," Patterson wrote.

"To overlook [Robinson's]intimate knowledge of Inuit, her experience with the justice system and her knowledge of the law is to say that race bloodline is the primary requirement for a competent commissioner. That is racist and deplorable."

Patterson went on to say that he has facedcriticism while representing Nunavut a territory with an85 per cent Inuit population as a non-Inukin the Senate.

"They cannot look past the colour of my skin."

• Qajaq Robinson no substitute for Inuk on inquiry commission, says Inuit women's group
• 'We are forgotten': Group decries lack of Inuit among MMIW commissioners
• Chief of MMIW inquiry says Inuit will not be sidelined as work begins

'Serious accusation'

BothPauktuutit and Qulliit say Patterson is missing the mark, and are calling for an apology.

"Shame on him as a senator to make this a race issue it's not," saidElisapee Sheutiapik, the president ofQulliit.

Rebecca Kudlook, the president of Pauktuutit, said neither organization has ever questioned Robinson's qualifications, or asked for her removal instead asking for a sixth Inuk commissioner to be included in the inquiry.

"Accusing somebody of being racist is a pretty serious accusation," she said."All we're doing is fighting to be at the top level so we can speak for ourselves."

• Family members gather in Iqaluit for MMIW pre-inquiry
• Carolyn Bennett says pan-aboriginal approach to MMIW inquiry won't work for Inuit
• 'Make or break moment:' Inuit demand full inclusion in MMIW inquiry
• Inuit groups gather suggestions for missing and murdered indigenous women inquiry process

Sheutiapik said that equating Patterson's position as a senator which represents all residents of Nunavut to the call for an Inuk commissioner on a commission dealing with Indigenous women is a false equivalency, adding that Patterson's accusations of racism are ironic given the subject at hand.

"Racism is what brought us here," she said,pointing to the systemic racism that has resulted in Indigenous womenvictimized by violence in Canada.

'He should apologize'

Both Sheutiapik and KudloosayPatterson did not reach out to their groupsto discuss the issue before calling them out in his op-ed.

"I think he should apologize," Kudloo said, adding thatif Patterson had spoken to Pauktuutit about the reasons behind their call for a sixth Inuk commissioner, she believes he would not have written the piece.

Patterson declined a request for comment when contacted by CBC.