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 of commissioners for the inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

Prior to the selection of commissioners, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada called for an Inuk commissioner on the inquiry, saying it was needed for Inuit to be fully included in the process. An Inuk commissioner was not included, but Ottawa lawyer Qajaq Robinson, who was raised in Nunavut and speaks fluent Inuktitut, was.

However, Robinson is not Inuk. Her selection prompted both Pauktuutit and 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 appointment to his own experience as 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 faced criticism while representing Nunavut — a territory with an 85 per cent Inuit population — as a non-Inuk in 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
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'Serious accusation'

Both Pauktuutit 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," said Elisapee Sheutiapik, the president of Qulliit.

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."​

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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 women victimized by violence in Canada.

'He should apologize'

Both Sheutiapik and Kudloo say Patterson did not reach out to their groups to discuss the issue before calling them out in his op-ed.

"I think he should apologize," Kudloo said, adding that if 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.