Canadian government apologizes to Inuit in Nunavik for mass killing of sled dogs

Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Gary Anandasangaree issued a formal apology to the Inuit community in Nunavik for the federal government’s involvement in the mass culling of sled dogs in the region during the 1950s and 1960s. The apology was delivered at the local community centre in Kangiqsujuaq, Northern Quebec, with community members and elders who experienced the dog slaughter present. Representatives from the RCMP were also in attendance to show their support for the apology.

Anandasangaree expressed deep remorse on behalf of the government of Canada and all Canadians, asking for forgiveness for the horrific betrayal that occurred. He acknowledged that it should not have taken decades for Canada to acknowledge and apologize to the Nunavik Inuit for the atrocities committed against their sled dogs.

The federal government had previously apologized to the Inuit in Nunavut for the RCMP’s role in the sled dog killings in 2019. Makivvik Corporation, representing the Inuit in Nunavik, also spoke at the event, highlighting the long-standing advocacy for recognition and acknowledgment of the harm caused by the dog slaughter.

In 1999, Makivvik Corporation initiated an investigation into the impacts of the dog slaughter, gathering reports from approximately 200 individuals. The investigation revealed that over 1,000 sled dogs were slaughtered, depriving the Inuit of their means of transportation and hunting, ultimately eroding their traditional way of life. The Quebec government had previously apologized for its involvement in the killings.

A report from retired Superior Court of Quebec judge, Jean-Jacques Croteau in 2010, detailed how Quebec provincial police officers callously killed the sled dogs without considering their significance to Inuit families. The federal government was found complicit in the actions by failing to intervene or condemn the killings.

In 2011, former Quebec Premier Jean Charest formally apologized to the Inuit in Nunavik for the province’s role in the atrocities and reached a settlement with Makivvik Corporation for $3 million to support and preserve Inuit language and culture. The federal government has committed to providing financial compensation to the Inuit in Nunavik for the dog slaughter, with expectations of a $45 million donation from the government. The funds will be allocated for direct compensation to survivors and initiatives to revive the cultural practice of dog team ownership in Nunavik.