Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.
My name is Inuaraq Angutimarik. I'm an Inuk from Nunavut. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak today.
I would like to start with a story. The first time I was taken on a seal hunt, I was six or seven. A few elders and family members brought me along on a community hunt because they wanted to make sure that I was exposed to our harvesting culture. I do not remember every detail, but I remember the lesson. Harvesting is about more than food. It teaches us how to survive on the land, how to work together and how to take care of one another.
What is harvested is often shared with elders and people who cannot harvest for themselves. I still carry those lessons today. Instead of harvesting on the land, I might buy a few extra groceries and share them with people who need help. The lesson is the same. Strong communities are built when people look after each other.
When people talk about affordability, they talk about numbers and statistics, but for the youth, affordability is about everyday life. It is about seeing your classmates come to school hungry. It is about knowing that many families live in overcrowded homes with no places to rest to prepare for a day in class or at work. It is about watching people leave their communities because they cannot find housing, training or employment opportunities.
Young Inuit want to build our futures in the north. We want to raise families, contribute to our communities and help shape Nunavut and Canada's future. We are proud of being the inhabitants of Canada's real north—the people who ensure that our country stays an Arctic nation. To do that, we need opportunities. We need safe and affordable housing. We need access to education, training and good jobs. We need opportunities to learn trades, to work in fisheries, to participate in infrastructure projects and to build careers close to home.
When governments invest in food sovereignty, housing, infrastructure and workforce development, they are investing in young people. They are creating opportunities that allow Inuit youth to stay in their communities, to build meaningful careers and to strengthen the north for future generations. I hope this committee will remember that affordability is not only about lowering costs today. It is about creating opportunity, self-reliance and hope for the future.
Qujannamiik. Thank you.