Canada forcing Northern communities to 'go back in time,' warns NWT premier

While many in the Arctic can no longer afford to feed themselves and others leave the North altogether, some federal cabinet ministers are only pretending to listen to the concerns of Northern Canadians, says the premier of the Northwest Territories.

"We're at a critical point. So it's nice to say that you care, but we need action behind those words. It's time for Canada to show they care about the most marginalized people," said Caroline Cochrane in an interview with CBC Radio's The House.

The stakes go beyond the well-being of the people who live in the North, according to the premier. In order for Canada to continue to assert sovereignty over the Arctic, people need to live, and stay, in the region, Cochrane said.

"The price of living in the Northwest Territories has gotten so high because of the supply chain issues that we're seeing. People are leaving," she said.

"We need people to move to the North so that we can ensure that the Arctic is safe … you can't talk sovereignty without having people in the land."

But that's a struggle with the high cost of food and lack of infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, roads and telecommunications.

Cochrane cited conversations she had on a recent trip to an Arctic community.

"They're telling me they can't feed their children, that they don't have enough money to make it, that the opportunities, the food and the stores are too expensive," she said.

"The traditional hunting that we're used to is disappearing because of climate change."

Cochrane has brought those concerns to federal ministers, but says at times "they pretend they listen, but they don't really hear. Then it's more than frustrating."

Cochrane said there's a funding issue, in particular because the Northwest Territories receives federal money based on population. She said that while a community like Grande Prairie, Alta. — with a population of just over 60,000 — will receive funding for a single municipality, her territory — with a population of approximately 45,000 — needs to spread funding across 33 municipalities.

"We are not getting ahead. In fact Canada is actually forcing us to go back in time," she said.

"People are hungry, the cost of living has hit everyone in Canada, and unless there's substantial funding to the North, then I'm worried about what's going to happen to families up there, because we can't afford to be there any longer."

Some of the concerns about the federal government ring true for Natan Obed, leader of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, a nonprofit that represents Inuit in Canada.