No room in the inn : Homelessness of retired cathedral dean exemplifies northern housing crisis
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/article42996
- Author
- Gardner, Matt
- Material Type
- Journal Article
- Journal
- Anglican Journal
- Date
- 2020 December
- Author
- Gardner, Matt
- Material Type
- Journal Article
- Journal
- Anglican Journal
- Date
- 2020 December
- Volume
- 146
- Issue
- 10
- Page
- 1-2
- Notes
- "Two years ago, the Rev. Jonas Allooloo was dean of St. Jude's Cathedral in Iqaluit, Nunavut, preparing to retire after more than four decades of work in the Anglican Church of Canada that included stints as a member of General Synod, participation in various national communities and work as a translator who helped produce the first Inuktitut Bible. As of October [2020], however, he was effectively homeless -- another casualty of the housing crisis that plagues Canada's North" (p. 1). As of mid-October Bishop Jonas and his wife Meena were still living with their daughter. "'We are looking everywhere in this city of Iqaluit for a house', said Allooloo, who has approached local low-rental housing and spoken to his MLA. ... The Nunavut Housing Corporation in its March 2016 report to the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples described a housing crisis in Nunavut marked by severe shortages and 'rates of overcrowding unparalleled .. anywhere in the country'" (p. 2). "In August [2020], Nunavut MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq undertook a housing tour, travelling to seven communities and visiting more than 100 homes. She strongly criticized the federal government for its lack of action on the housing crisis" (p. 16). "Ordained as a deacon in 1974 and as a priest in 1975, Allooloo lived in mission houses for much of his ministry. He notes that he has a 'very good benefit from the Anglican Church of Canada'. Even a generous pension, however, cannot overcome the lack of affordable housing" (p. 2). Bishop Allooloo "expressed concern that more retiring clergy could find themselves homeless in the future. 'I think I'm one of the first ones to be in this situation', Allooloo said. 'But I think that the people who are after me will retire .. and they will have to be in my situation too .. unless anything happen'" (p. 2).
- Subjects
- Allooloo, Jonas
- Housing - Canada
- Housing - Nunavut
- Housing - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Anglican Church of Canada - Clergy - Housing
- Inuit - Canada - Housing
- Qaqqaq, Mumilaaq, 1993-