In late September, Inuit artist Annie Pootoogook died tragically in Ottawa. Pootoogook was an award-winning illustrator from Cape Dorset, Nunavut. Her ink-and-crayon depictions of everyday life in the north -- families sitting to eat a meal of seal meat or shopping at the Arctic co-op -- received international acclaim. In contrast to the idealized vision many Canadians have of the north, of majestic rock and ice landscapes or charismatic wildlife like polar bears, Pootoogook's drawings often reflected the crushing poverty northern families face and its devastating impacts on their health and well-being.

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The Orlando massacre is heartbreaking. As the details emerge about the victims, as their humanity shines through their images and stories, as we hear about the children, parents, friends and lovers that they leave behind, trying to make sense of what is so obviously senseless seems futile.

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