‘It’s not the end of her story’ says Nunavut MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq on her resignation.

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Kirti Pathak
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Nunavut MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq

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Mumilaaq Qaqqaq says she carries her parliamentary badge close by whenever she enters the House of Commons, just in case she needs to confirm her identity. The retiring NDP MP claims she has been stopped and questioned on numerous occasions by the Parliamentary Protective Service (PPS) since her election in 2019.

"I've had security chasing me down corridors, putting their hands on me, and racial profiling me," Qaqqaq said in the House on Tuesday. "Why don't you have your security in the federal institution properly trained so that they don't do these things and I don't feel frightened when I go to work?"

Qaqqaq remarked in her farewell speech on Tuesday that approaching the doors of power put her in survival mode. She stated she had to give herself pep talks in the elevator and take minutes in the restroom to compose herself to get through her term.

In response to Qaqqaq's comments, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has called for change at the highest levels. "We must be alert and continue to exert pressure on the House of Commons and Parliament to become a more inviting venue," Singh said during a news conference on Wednesday.

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"Parliamentarians have always been older white men. That's what the vision or assumption is, and someone like Mumilaaq completely demolishes that notion." Marc Miller, the Minister of Indigenous Services, has also raised alarm.

"It is totally wrong for someone to feel frightened in what should be one of the most secure places in the country because of who she is and what her identification is," Miller said. On Wednesday, the PPS contacted her to discuss her concerns.

The agency stated in a statement that it is devoted to delivering on its security role while also assuring members of the legislative community can "enjoy a safe, inviting, and inclusive environment."

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