By 1975, almost all Inuit lived in thirteen government-created permanent settlements. The speed and scope of the changes, over which they had little or no control, led to unnecessary hardship and poor social, health, and education outcomes for them. Qikiqtani Truth Commission Community Histories 1950-1975 documents those changes. The story of each community within these time periods is different, but there are many common elements.
Much Canadian writing about the North hides social, cultural, and economic realities behind beautiful photographs, individual achievements, and popular narratives. Commissioned by the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, this historical work and the companion volume of thematic reports weave together testimonies and documents collected during the Qikiqtani Truth Commission.
As communities in the Baffin region face a new wave of changes, these community histories describe and explain events, ideas, policies and values that are central to understanding Inuit experiences and history in the mid-20th century.