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ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᕐᕕᒡᔪᐊᕐᒥ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎ ᓄᓇᕗᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᖁᔨᔪᖅ ᖃᐅᔨᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᑉᓗᒍ ᐃᒃᓯᕋᕐᔪᐊᖑᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ

ᓱᓇᓗᒃᑖᑦ ᐋᖅᑭᐅᒪᓂᖅᓴᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᓯᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕿᒪᒃᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖁᑉᓗᒍ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒃᑰᕈᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ, ᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᖁᑦᑎᒃᑐᒦᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᖁᔨᔪᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒡᓗ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᑉᓗᒍ ᐃᒃᓯᕋᕐᔪᐊᖑᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᔪᐊᓇᔅ ᕆᕗᐊ.
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Piita Irniq, left, Jack Anawak and the late Marius Tungilik have all been advocates for justice in crimes against Inuit children. Photo courtesy of Piita Irniq ᐲᑕ ᐃᕐᓂᖅ, ᓴᐅᒥᖅᖠᕐᒦᑦᑐᖅ, ᔮᒃ ᐊᓇᕈᐊᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒥᐅᕆᔭᔅ ᑐᖏᓕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᔭᐅᖅᑐᐃᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᐅᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᓄᑕᖅᑲᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᐱᑦᑎᐊᖃᑦᑕᙱᓯᒪᔪᑦ.

ᓱᓇᓗᒃᑖᑦ ᐋᖅᑭᐅᒪᓂᖅᓴᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᓯᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕿᒪᒃᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖁᑉᓗᒍ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒃᑰᕈᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ, ᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᖁᑦᑎᒃᑐᒦᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᖁᔨᔪᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒡᓗ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᑉᓗᒍ ᐃᒃᓯᕋᕐᔪᐊᖑᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᔪᐊᓇᔅ ᕆᕗᐊ.

“ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᕆᔭᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᑖᑕᑦᑎᐊᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᓈᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅᐳᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓂᙵᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑖᒻᓇ ᐊᖑᑎ ᐃᓱᒪᖅᓲᔭᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᑯᓂᐅᓕᖅᑐᖅ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒥᐅᑦ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔨᖓ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᕐᕕᒡᔪᐊᕐᒥ ᓗᐊᕆ ᐃᓪᓚᐅᑦ. “ᐱᓕᕆᔪᒪᓪᓚᕆᒃᑐᖓ ᓄᓇᕗᒥᐅᑦ ᐱᓂᕐᓗᒃᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᔪᐊᓇᔅ ᕆᕗᐊᒧᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᒃᑯᑦ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᐹᓪᓕᕈᓐᓇᖁᑉᓗᒋᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑦᑕᕆᐊᖃᕐᒪᑕ.”

ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᕗᕋᓐᔅᒥ, ᕆᕗᐊ ᐃᒃᓯᕋᕐᔪᐊᖑᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ 1960-ᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ 1970-ᖏᓐᓂᒃ. ᐸᓯᔭᒃᓴᙳᖅᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐱᓂᕐᓗᒃᓯᒪᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᖁᓄᔪᕐᓂᐊᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᓂᖓᓄᓪᓗ ᐸᓯᔭᒃᓴᙳᖅᑎᑕᐅᑉᓗᓂ 1990-ᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐸᓯᔭᒃᓴᙳᕈᑕᐅᓯᒪᓂᖏᑦ ᓄᖅᑲᐅᔾᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ 2017-ᒥ.

ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᕐᕕᒡᔪᐊᕐᒥ ᑖᒻᓇ ᑕᖅᑭᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᓕᓵᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᒥᓂᔅᑕᒋᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᖅᑐᐃᔪᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᑕᐃᕕᑎ ᓚᒥᑎ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓪᓚᐅᑦᒧᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᓐᓇᙱᓐᓂᕋᖅᖢᓂ ᓄᖅᑲᐅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐸᓯᔭᒃᓴᙳᕈᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᓂᑉᓕᖅᑐᖃᖃᑦᑕᓕᖅᐸᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᑉᓗᒍ ᕆᕗᐊ, ᐃᖅᑲᖅᑐᐃᔪᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᐃᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᓐᓇᕋᔭᖅᑐᑦ ᐸᓯᔭᒃᓴᙳᕈᑕᐅᓯᒪᔾᔪᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ.

ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᖅ, ᐃᓪᓚᐅᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᖁᔨᔪᖅ ᖃᐅᔨᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᐸᓯᔭᒃᓴᙳᖅᑎᑦᑎᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᕐᒪᑕ ᐃᒃᓯᕋᕐᔪᐊᖑᓚᐅᖅᑐᒥ.

“ᑐᑭᓯᐅᒪᔪᖓ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᕐᒪᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᓄᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᔭᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᓪᓚᐅᑦ. “ᑕᒪᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᖁᔭᒃᑲ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒃᑲᓗ ᑕᒫᓃᓐᓇᑉᑕ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᓐᓇᕈᒪᑉᓗᑕ ᑭᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐱᓂᕐᓗᒃᓯᒪᓂᖓᓄᑦ. ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐊᓗᒃ ᕆᕗᐊ ᐸᓯᔭᒃᓴᙳᖅᑎᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐊᓄᓪᓚᒃᓯᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖓᓄᓪᓗ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᓂᖅᐹᖑᔪᒃᑯᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᖅᓯᓯᒪᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᑉᑎᓐᓂᒃ.”

ᓄᓇᕗᒥ ᑲᒥᓯᓇᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐲᑕ ᐃᕐᓂᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᔪᖅ ᐃᓪᓚᐅᑦᒥᑦ.

“ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᓪᓚᕆᒃᑕᕋ ᓄᓇᕗᒥ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔨᕗᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᕐᕕᒡᔪᐊᕐᒥ ᓗᐊᕆ ᐃᓪᓚᐅᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᔭᐅᖅᑐᐃᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᕆᕗᐊ ᑲᓇᑕᒧᑦ ᐅᑎᖅᑎᑕᐅᓇᔭᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ.

ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂᓗ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔪᕉᖅ ᖃᑉᓯᑲᓪᓚᖕᓂᒃ ᕆᕗᐊ ᐱᓂᕐᓗᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᑕᐃᒪᐅᔪᖅᑕᐅᖅ ᒪᕆᐅᓯ ᑐᖏᓕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᐃᓅᔪᓐᓃᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ 2012-ᒥ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑭᐱᓯᑉᓗᓂ.

“ᐳᐃᒍᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᙱᑦᑐᖅ ᕆᕗᐊᒥᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᓗᒃᑖᒥᓂᒃ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᕐᓂᖅ. “ᕆᕗᐊ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᑦᑐᒻᒪᕆᐊᓗᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᓯᓯᒪᓂᑰᔪᖅ ᒪᕆᐅᓯᒥᒃ ᒪᕆᐅᓯ ᒥᑭᔫᑎᓪᓗᒍ. ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᕋᔪᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᕆᕗᐊᒥᒃ, ᖁᓄᔪᕐᓂᐊᖅᑎᒋᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᓂᕋᖅᖢᓂᐅᒃ ᓄᑕᕋᑯᓘᑎᓪᓗᒍ.”

ᐃᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᔭᐅᖅᑐᐃᔪᖅ ᐃᓪᓚᐅᑦᑎᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᓂᑉᓕᐅᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔪᓪᓗ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᑉᓗᒍ ᐃᒃᓯᕋᕐᔪᐊᖑᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑕᐅᖁᑉᒋᑦ ᐳᑭᖅᑕᓕᖕᓄᑦ.

“ᑲᓇᑕᒧᑦ ᐅᑎᖅᑎᑕᐅᒃᐸᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᖅᑐᖅᑕᐅᔭᖅᑐᕐᓗᓂ, ᐱᓂᕐᓗᒃᓯᒪᓂᑯᖓ ᐸᑐᔭᐅᔾᔫᒥᓇᔭᖅᑐᖅ ᐱᓂᕐᓗᒃᓯᒪᓂᑯᓪᓚᕆᐅᖕᒪᑦ ᓄᑕᖅᑲᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᓄᕐᓗᒃᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ ᒪᒥᓴᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓕᕋᔭᖅᑐᑦ,” ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ. “ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᔭᕌᖓᑉᑎᒍᑦ ᑕᒫᓃᙱᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᓱᓕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᒋᐊᕈᑕᐅᓯᒪᙱᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᐱᓂᕐᓗᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᑦ ᐅᑎᖅᑑᔭᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᑕ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᓄᖅᑲᕆᐊᓕᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒪᒥᓴᕐᓂᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᕆᐊᓕᒃ.”