Institut nordique du Québec's 3rd Science Day

Jean-Michel Lemieux
Professor in the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, Université Laval

Les ressources en eau souterraine au Nunavik (Presentation in French)
Water availability and management issues related to the provision of drinking water in northern communities are problematic in Canada. While rivers and lakes are abundant, they are vulnerable to contamination and can dry up in winter due to freezing. Groundwater is usually a safer and more sustainable source of drinking water, but its availability is limited in the north due to the presence of permafrost. In addition, the development of groundwater resources in the North poses a twofold challenge: identifying permafrost-free areas, as well as permeable areas that will allow for groundwater recharge and exploitation. In order to assess the availability of groundwater, promote its use and explore how the resource will evolve in response to climate change, work was carried out in four Nunavik villages: Salluit, Kuujjuaq, Umiujaq and Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik. These villages are located in different permafrost zones, ranging from continuous to discontinuous, as well as in different geological environments. It was found that, despite the pervasive presence of permafrost, non-frost affected aquifers could be identified, suggesting that groundwater may be available as a source of drinking water for small communities. With the prospect of global warming, thawing permafrost and increased temperatures and precipitation, groundwater availability is expected to increase, thus providing a safer drinking water resource for northern communities.

Caroline Hervé
Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences
Chairholder of the Sentinel North Research Chair on the Relations with Inuit Societies

Origines et principes de la recherche participative en milieu nordique (presentation in French)
The purpose of this presentation is to recall the origins and principles of participatory research, as well as its application in a northern research context. Forged in the 1970s, participatory research has its origins in different schools of thought that draw on education, philosophy and psychology. It has given rise to several theoretical and empirical movements, explaining the proliferation of terminology associated with participatory research: action research, participatory action research, collaborative research, community-based participatory research, etc. An attempt will therefore be made to sort out these different terms and to understand their characteristics and differences in order to better appreciate how they have emerged in the context of northern research.

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