NUUK, Greenland – Inuit leaders are urging Ottawa to significantly increase infrastructure investment in Canada’s North, pointing to a stark contrast with the level of development in Greenland as a model for addressing Arctic security and social needs. The call comes as the federal government considers increased military spending in the region.
Paul Irngaut, president of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI), described Greenland as “way ahead of us” in terms of infrastructure, during a recent trip to Nuuk to attend the opening of the Canadian Consulate. He emphasized that Inuit communities are often an afterthought for the federal government, despite their crucial role in asserting Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic.
The disparity extends beyond physical infrastructure. Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, offers a comprehensive social safety net including universal healthcare, unemployment insurance, free dental care for children, subsidized childcare and largely free education. Nuuk, the capital, boasts modern schools and a hospital four times the size of Iqaluit’s, despite having a population only 2.5 times larger, according to reporting from CBC News and CTV News.
Lukasi Whiteley-Tukkiapik, head of Saqijuq, an Inuit well-being organization in Kuujjuaq, Quebec, stated that services available in his community are inferior to those in Iqaluit, and Greenland is “generations ahead” in providing Inuit-led social services housed in well-maintained buildings. He highlighted the importance of prioritizing social issues, noting that Greenland is more proactive in addressing challenges like suicide and tuberculosis, problems also prevalent in Canadian Inuit communities.
Steven Arnfjord, a professor at the University of Greenland and director of its Centre for Arctic Welfare, explained that Greenland’s success stems from Inuit leadership having control over the allocation of funds provided by Copenhagen for social services. “We train our own social workers so they understand the culture, the language, everything, when they interact with clients,” Arnfjord said. “It’s not social workers coming from Toronto, Ottawa, or elsewhere who have to quickly adapt.”
The approach in Greenland also differs in healthcare delivery. Most medical care is provided locally, and when residents require treatment in Denmark, they are accommodated in culturally appropriate facilities managed by Inuit organizations, a model Whiteley-Tukkiapik suggests could be replicated in Canada.
Historically, Denmark implemented a successful tuberculosis eradication program in Greenland during the mid-1950s to early 1970s, utilizing a specialized ship to provide screenings and treatment. This contrasts with past practices in Canada’s North, where individuals suspected of having tuberculosis were often sent south for treatment, sometimes resulting in patients never returning home, according to Arnfjord.
While Greenland’s social model is not without its shortcomings – Arnfjord noted a lack of responsiveness to demographic shifts compared to Denmark or Sweden, and a tendency to focus on individual solutions rather than family-based approaches – it offers a potential blueprint for Canada.
Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, representing Inuit in 51 Arctic communities, noted that access to specialized care, such as cancer treatment and childbirth, almost always requires air travel to southern hospitals. He indicated that Greenland has a significantly higher ratio of doctors per capita and offers a broader range of medical services than the Canadian Arctic, though comparable data is limited.
Andrea Charron, director of the Centre for Defence and Security Studies at the University of Manitoba, cautioned that Ottawa must improve infrastructure in Arctic communities if it intends to expand its military presence, as military bases and airfields require adequate housing and services to function effectively. She warned against broken federal promises, emphasizing that any military strengthening must respect Inuit sovereignty and be accompanied by dedicated, long-term funding.
