Dog Slaughter, Denial, and an Apology:

Feds apologize for role in the slaughter of Inuit sled dogs.

Imagine a police officer coming into your house and shooting your dog in front of your kids, or a stranger feeding your dog poison through your fence, or being forced to clean up the ashes of your beloved animal found at the center of a burnt-out bonfire; not ideal, right? Well, throughout the 40s – 60s, comparable events took place against Inuit communities in Northern Canada, and worse, the federal government did nothing to rectify nor stop these injustices; until now. On November 24th, the federal government offered $45 million dollars––60% of the suggested/asked amount––to the community of Nunavik for compensation of the effects that this canine slaughter imposed on the community.

But does this monetary apology sufficiently mend the wounds caused by these grotesque actions? Would you feel ‘reconciled’ if the person who killed your dog paid you a lump sum to cover: vet bills, financial loss, spiritual decimation, and emotional distress? Personally, I would not feel reconciled nor forgive the government for failing to prevent the decimation of my industry/culture. But I am not as strong as the elders of Nunavik. To forgive such a terrible moment in our history is to be strong and brave, and to take a giant step towards building trust between our nations.

Reconciliation is not about fixing the past, this is impossible. Reconciliation is about: making a difference today to help those who are struggling most, changing our worldview to be more open to alternative perspectives, and modifying our social structures to give Indigenous peoples equity in our shared communities. To paraphrase Thomas King: we have heard these stories now; now what are we going to do about it?

When I heard about this it made my heart hurt. I am a big animal lover and I can not imagine how I would feel if my dogs were shot, and then I was given a lame apology. However, I think you have written a powerful reflection on the ongoing journey of reconciliation, and how it will never fix what has happened in the past, but an attempt to make today better. The Inuit community’s resilience demonstrates the strength required to forgive and work towards trust, despite the harm done. It’s a reminder that reconciliation isn’t just about acknowledgment or compensation, it’s about taking action. As you suggest, changing worldviews in a way to foster equity, and address injustices. Thomas King would say that acknowledging these stories isn’t enough. Action must follow!