Volume 100 Number 4, 2008 Issue #427

On January 22, 2005 Labrador Inuit gathered to celebrate the official signing of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement. Under the Agreement, the Nunatsiavut Government officially took effect on December 1, 2005. Like any government, the Nunatsiavut Government wanted to ensure the future of its people unfolds with economic development and growth. Yet as a government formed to represent a distinctive cultural group, its priorities also included the protection of Inuit culture. While still in the early stages of its formation, the Nunatsiavut Government is finding ways to acknowledge and incorporate the culture it represents and balance its priorities for cultural and economic sustainability.

The Nunatsiavut Government

Unlike Nunavut, Nunatsiavut is not a separate province or territory. It is a regional ethnic government within the province of Newfoundland and Labrador with a legislative capital in Hopedale and an administrative capital in Nain. The Government represents approximately 5,300 Inuit and Kablunângajuit of Labrador in an area that runs along the east coast, including the communities of Postville, Rigolet and Makkovik.

The area actually consists of two categories of land. The largest, the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area (LISA), occupies approximately 72,500 km² of land and 48,690 km² of ocean stretching along the coastline. Only a smaller portion of 15,800 sq km, referred to as Labrador Inuit Lands, are owned by the Inuit. While Inuit have the most rights and benefits in this area, they also have some special rights within the larger zone that acknowledges and respects traditional land usage.

The establishment of this Government was an important means for Labrador to have a greater say in developments that directly affect its communities. For example, anyone wishing to conduct mineral exploration on Labrador Inuit Lands will now have to file a work plan for approval by both the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Nunatsiavut Government.

This increased autonomy of self-government is important in light of past approaches and programs imposed by both Federal and Provincial Governments that did not always demonstrate an understanding or respect for Inuit culture. Official policies like the resettlement programs of the 1950s had long-term damaging effects. The aim was to provide better education and health care in larger centres but the program did not first consult with people of these communities or take their lifestyle into account. There are many Inuit living in Labrador today who remember a time when they were prohibited or discouraged from speaking their own language, Inuttitut, while at school. Inuit at Hebron and Nutak were uprooted and re-located to other communities in Labrador. Deeply rooted social and cultural structures were suddenly and dramatically altered. Elders, the older members of the community who traditionally exerted authority and influence, were suddenly disempowered. Lifestyles that had depended on wildlife migration routes, spawning, feeding, and nesting areas were severely disrupted. The effects were demoralizing and long-term.

Self-representation and governance has since been fervently sought. "There is a huge gap between the vision which the Labrador Inuit have of their world and the way they would like it to work, and the kind of views which Newfoundland and Canada take of their societies and for the place Labrador Inuit occupy within those societies," former President of the Labrador Inuit Association William Anderson III said at the opening of the Land Claims negotiations in 1989. Inuit leaders made it clear from the beginning that among the most important issues in the negotiations process were "the degree to which we will be able to live our lives according to our own customs and traditions rather than the rules and laws of Non-Inuit society and a political accommodation that will provide Labrador Inuit with a meaningful degree of self-government in Canada."

The Nunatsiavut Government had already incorporated essential elements of its culture into its very structure. Language formed a principal part of the Government and its Constitution stated: “Each Labrador Inuit family…has both a right and a responsibility to pass Labrador Inuit culture and language to their children. This is reflected in the fact that all laws and policies of the Nunatsiavut Government will be published in English and Inuttitut.”The Constitution required the President of Nunatsiavut to be fluent in the language and moved towards ensuring that Inuttitut becomes the working language of the Government and its civil service, especially as it remained the first language for many elders.

By comparison the Nunavut Government had similar policies in place but, having been in existence longer, adopted further measures. Nunavut recognized and incorporated traditional leadership roles within Inuit Society by providing a special seating area for elders in their legislature. They also developed a policy of "Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit", meaning "Inuit ways and knowledge." This included the perspective of Inuit traditions and philosophy as a guiding principle in Government’s decision-making.

Economic and Cultural Sustainability

Economic and cultural interests are not necessarily or inherently at odds with one another. But many of Labrador's opportunities for economic development rely, in one way or another, on the land and its natural resources. These same resources have sustained and helped define Inuit culture. In contemporary life, many people participate in a lifestyle of being active on the land that, while not the same as a few generations ago, is nevertheless grounded in cultural principles. The word "Nunatsiavut", meaning "our beautiful land" in Inuttitut, reflects the crucial need for Labrador Inuit to "strengthen and maintain their relationship to the land, water, plants and animals of their ancestral territory." Given this relationship, in taking measures to maintain their culture, it is essential that natural resources developments not conflict with cultural values.

Photo by Celes Davar.

The Labrador Inuit Land Claims Act respected the traditional relationship of the Inuit to the land. Inuit have the exclusive right to carving stone, ownership of 3,950 km² of quarry materials and a 25% ownership interest in subsurface resources. Inuit also have rights to harvest wildlife, plants, fish and marine animals for food, social and ceremonial purposes. However such rights are still subject to limitations if the Nunatsiavut Government determines they are necessary for conservation purposes.

Conservation and responsible management are key factors in decisions relating to tourism development and the new Torngat Mountains National Park. Located on the very northern tip of Labrador, the park comprises 9,700 km² of the Northern Labrador Mountain region and includes traditional Inuit ancestral land. The park is home to polar bears and both the Torngat Mountains and George River caribou. The park has tremendous tourism development potential but Labrador Inuit have a say in how it is managed. Regulations governing the management of the Park are intended to balance potential tourism development with the best interest of the area's wildlife. During the early planning stages for the park, elders insisted that a portion of it be protected as a reserve. Visitation to the park is controlled, as all visitors must register, and access to park areas that are part of Labrador Inuit Lands requires the consent of the Nunatsiavut Government.

The Challenges Ahead

Preserving traditions and building the Inuit economy includes facing a difficult situation in responding to opposition targeted at an economic opportunity both culturally rooted and highly contested in foreign nations — the seal hunt. "As Inuit, sealing has always been an important part of our cultural tradition and our livelihood," William Barbour, the Nunatsiavut Government's Minister of Lands and Resources, said last year. It is now also an integral part of our commercial and economic prosperity. It is time the rest of the world was provided with an accurate account of both the subsistence harvest and the commercial sealing industry." A lot of emotionally charged anti-seal hunt activism has caused confusion concerning Aboriginal rights and the Canadian seal hunt for Inuit across Canada. "There's some indication in Europe that some countries that are part of the European Union…are actually passing resolutions and legislation to ban import of seal skins, even though they say they are not against Aboriginal sealing," said Mary Simon, President of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the national organization representing the Inuit of Canada. "Past experience shows that bans that include socalled Inuit exemptions have proven not to work."

Another issue under debate within Nunatsiavut communities is the possibility of uranium mining on Inuit land. Aurora Energy Resources Incorporated has been conducting exploration and testing within Nunatsiavut borders for a number of years. The company estimates there is enough uranium at their sites that, if converted to fuel today, would generate enough electricity to power one million homes for 150 years. The company hopes to begin commercial production by 2014.

With these optimistic projections, the project could bring a lot of benefits to the people of Labrador. Local residents are understandably both interested and cautious about the project. While it could potentially mean employment, economic development, and the creation of new infrastructure, there are concerns that there may be a price to be paid in the form of environmental damage and threats to public health.

"Our projects are characterized by relatively low risk factors," Aurora Energy said. "These are conventional, low-grade uranium opportunities. These are not high-grade, technically challenging operations. These are, on a comparative basis, easy mines with low-grade and fairly benign waste."

Opinions on the issue vary from community to community and even within them. In general, young people, especially those who have already benefited from earlier exploration phases, are eager to see more job opportunities, while elders are much more cautious about the development. They remember incidences in the past where other companies and development projects did not honour their environmental commitment. For Labrador Inuit these issues are also about protecting ancestral territory that they have worked long and hard to reclaim. New standards and methods are now in place to ensure compliance and Aurora itself has been involved in local clean-up efforts from past projects unrelated to their company.

Working Together

The Nunatsiavut Government, organizations, and businesses are looking together for models and opportunities for increasing economic opportunities and business growth. In some cases, companies operating in other Inuit communities are able to offer the benefit of their own experience. In one unique partnership arrangement, representatives of Nunatsiavut are participating with Inuit of Nunavik and with Parks Canada over the management of the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve through a nine-member Inuit Co-operative Park Management Board. While large portions of the park are located in Nunatsiavut territory, this partnership recognizes the historic movement and land use of both Labrador Inuit and Nunavik Inuit from northern Quebec across current geopolitical provincial boundaries.

The Nunatsiavut Government's Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism conducted a series of community consultations for tourism development. Local feedback was positive. "People taking part in the community consultation are very happy to see [tourism] but they want to ensure it is done properly," said Kristy Sheppard, Director of the Tourism Division for the Nunatsiavut Government. "We're communitydriven, not business-driven. We'll develop at a pace the community is comfortable with and not because of some imposed deadline."

Nunatsiavut is also looking for models and potential partnerships among other northern communities and organizations that have aims and challenges similar to their own, such as a lack of tourism infrastructure, and the difficulties and high costs of transportation. At the Northern Lights 2008 tradeshow and conference held in Ottawa in February 2008, George Berthe from the Inuit-owned company Cruise North Expeditions talked about the expansion of the cruise ship industry in Nunavut. While local people appreciated the visitors, large cruise ships caused problems and safety concerns when their passengers suddenly swelled small towns to double their size or larger.

"Residents are happy to welcome cruise ships," said Sheppard, "Just not large cruise ships en masse, [only] those with no more than 100 people or so." Anything larger overwhelms small communities that do not have the infrastructure in place to deal with an instantaneous surge in the population. Labrador Inuit are also concerned about the quality of information that is disseminated about Inuit culture and lifestyle on these cruises.

Cruise North Expeditions addressed such issues in their tours of small communities in Nunavut. To respond to local concerns, they limit the number of passengers, keeping the tours smaller. They also consult with local elders, gathering information on where herds might be moving to ensure their travel itinerary does not disturb them. And they employ Inuit elders and other experts on board the ships to educate passengers about the local area.

Conclusion

As the people of Nunatsiavut and their newly formed government look towards the future, their past moves forward with them. The journey will not be an easy one. Even with selfgovernment there will be hurdles, difficult decisions, and no simple answers. It will be up to both parties to strike a balance between all of their priorities. By working together, a sustainable future is possible, with clean environments, healthy communities, and culturally sensitive economic and business growth producing benefits that will be felt far beyond the present time.

Crystal Parsons is a Newfoundlander from St. John’s who now lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario. She welcomes comments at crystalsparsons@gmail.com