Indigenous Organizations are Fully Mature

As mentioned in Reconciling Distinct Rights and Equality Rights, the mass slaughter of Inuit sled dogs by federal and provincial authorities in the 1950s is one of the darkest pages in the history of relations with the Inuit. 

Today, however, from the hill outside the northern village of Kuujjuaq, visitors can see pens holding lots of sled dogs anxiously awaiting the return of cold weather. The Nunavik Inuit are delighted to see the increasing popularity of dog sledding in recent years. The Ivakkak sled dog race is not only the most convincing testament to this, but it is also sweet revenge on history.

Makivik Corporation has been organizing the annual race since 2001. In 2018, the 400-km race started in Tasiujaq and ended in Kangiqsujuaq. Every time race teams stop in a village along the trail route, young and old alike come out to celebrate and show how proud they are of this tradition.

In 1998, the Institut Tshakapesh eagerly accepted an invitation from the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (CDPDJ) to put together and implement a joint program to promote Aboriginal awareness in Québec schools. The task called for a bold educational approach: a touring team, an outdoor gathering place (shaputuan) on school property, classroom periods held in the big tent with Innu facilitators, performances, games, community dinners, parent evenings and even overnight camping – every effort was made to ensure genuine, positive contact with students. Visits by the touring team provided an ideal opportunity to hold workshops to promote Aboriginal awareness among school staff.

It was in the context of these professional development workshops that the educational tool Aboriginal Peoples: Fact and Fiction was conceived and published. It was been favourably received by schools and is now available to the general public. In the space of ten years, the cooperation agreement between the CDPDJ and Institut Tshakapesh has allowed the team to visit 85 secondary schools across Québec, raising awareness among more than 100,000 students and roughly 2,500 teachers in gatherings under the shaputuan. It would not have been possible without the funding received from the governments of Québec and Canada and a minimum financial contribution for the schools visited. To this day, the Institut Tshakapesh is making sure that this extraordinary program continues.

Aboriginal tourism is a growth sector in Québec, with the number of businesses more than doubling between 2002 and 2016. It sustains nearly 3,500 jobs a year for the 11 nations and generates an estimated $169 million in economic benefits. (Québec Aboriginal Tourism 2016) 

Visitor demand for Aboriginal tourism products has increased as well. One might think that the majority of tourists come from Europe, but it is not the case, although many Europeans do seek Indigenous experiences. Like in Australia and British Columbia, two other Indigenous tourism destinations, the majority of visitors come from their home country rather than abroad. Québec residents account for 65% of the Aboriginal tourism clientele, whereas travellers from Europe, the United States and other countries account for 27%. Today, more than 1.2 million visitors a year include an Indigenous experience in their trips.

Although Québec has seen a sharp decline in total tourism investment since 2002, as well as a 7.3% decrease in tourist spending, dynamic Indigenous entrepreneurs have helped maintain the level of economic benefits in some of the hardest hit regions year after year.

Aboriginal tourism is a first-hand opportunity to discover the rich and diverse world of First Nations. This tourism sector is often key to socioeconomic development, especially in remote regions, and to affirmation and trengthening of Indigenous identity.