At a breaking point: Nunavut hamlet of Pangnirtung cries for help
PANGNIRTUNG, Nunavut — Everyone thought things in the Nunavut community of Pangnirtung were finally looking up.
The hamlet, which once had one of the highest suicide rates in the territory, hadn’t seen a single such tragedy in more than a year. A community group had drawn up a forward-looking, proactive plan to keep youth safe. People breathed easier.
Then February came.
“We had 12 suicide attempts by youth over a period of about two weeks,” said hamlet Coun. Markus Wilcke. “We’ve had a bit of a wake-up call.”