The road to reconciliation was a bumpy one Thursday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was set to formally apologize in Iqaluit for how past governments mistreated Inuit who travelled south for tuberculosis care in the 1940s to 1960s, but a blizzard prevented his plane from landing.

While the event has been postponed to Friday -- weather permitting -- some locals say an apology is too late.

James Eetoolook was one of the thousands of Inuit who was sent south, away from his family and his culture, for tuberculosis treatment.

With Iqaluit being one of the most remote cities in Canada, access to healthcare is limited.

"A total of eight contracted it in the family, because we were living in the same dwelling -- one-room dwelling -- and tuberculosis is a contagious disease," Eetoolook said in an interview with CTV News' Annie Bergeron Oliver.

Of the Inuit who travelled for treatment, many were mistreated, and some of whom died were buried in unmarked graves rather than being returned to their families.

Tuberculosis rates among Inuit are 290 times higher than among Canadian-born non-Indigenous people, according to a report from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

"I know I had to be treated, because otherwise if I had stayed home, it would have spread to other family members or to the community," said Eetoolook.

Iqaluit was virtually shut down due to the blizzard with white-out conditions closing city services and restaurants. Taxis and residents were also told to stay off the roads.

The storm forced Trudeau’s plane to divert to Happy Valley-Goose Bay, N.L.

The delay was disappointing to some Inuit but Iqaluit residents Agnes and Robert Kuptana say having the government finally acknowledge the community’s painful past will be a step in the right direction for reconciliation.

"I think it's a long time coming," said Agnes Kuptana. "It's very disappointing the prime minister's plane could not land today because this is what all the elders and the delegates were looking forward to: an apology."

Trudeau's public apology has been in the works since he signed an Inuit-Crown partnership agreement in 2017.

The mistreatment of Inuit seeking tuberculosis treatment happened decades ago yet the wounds are still fresh for survivors and their families.

"The apology means a whole lot to me and not only just me, but also for other people," said Robert Kuptana.

With files from the Canadian Press

This is what the weather looks like. Cabs and businesses are getting ready to close early. pic.twitter.com/VX62hMjXKj — Annie BergeronOliver (@AnnieClaireBO) March 7, 2019