Nunavik, Arctic Quebec: where cooperatives supplement entrepreneurship

Prior to contact with Europeans, Ungava Inuit who inhabited the Quebec-Labrador Peninsula was self-sufficient, with a subsistence economy and inter-cultural trade. They lived in small bands, each consisting of a few families, and they fished, gathered, hunted, and migrated as required. Traditionally, food was shared. Europeans introduced foreign languages, religions, and values along with a capitalist economy. Today, Anglican is the dominant religion in Northern Quebec, formerly known as Ungava and now known as Nunavik; yet, the Inuit have retained their language, a strong sense of identity, and community values. In this context, cooperatives have dominated the business realm since their introduction in the late 1950s. Non-Inuit – called Qallunaaq and meaning 'big high brows' – are a minority here.