Inuit Leader President Natan Obed said he feels Inuit focus on “communities first” has been heard by Prime Minister Mark Carney and members of the cabinet. President Obed also said he feels “optimistic” that the PM will uphold modern treaties for Inuit in Nunangat.
“I’m really optimistic about the ability for Canada to respect our agreements in this implementation phase of Bill C-5, but still these are early days and we look forward to the conversations ahead.”
The president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami emphasized that discussions with the PM and ministers from the cabinet were centred around building communities and responding to essential needs.
“We talked almost exclusively about infrastructure and not just about dual use infrastructure for military and communities about essential infrastructure, whether it be Healthcare housing, community venues that bring our cultures together,” said the Inuit leader at a press conference yesterday in Inuvik.
Inuit leaders have stressed the importance of putting community needs first when it comes to infrastructure that encompasses community needs as a whole when engaging in discussions with the PM and cabinet ministers.
“Across, Elders to youth, all Inuit leaders from across Inuit Nunangat talked about the importance of communities first. And in this we have a list of 79 infrastructure projects that total about 30 billion dollars. Some of those projects may end up as listed projects under the Bill C-5 legislation but many of those projects are aimed at just building our communities and thinking about the essential needs of Inuit across Nunangat so yes, the community perspective and the urgent needs, whether it be where healthcare is delivered, or whether or not you can get the full suite of programs to graduate from high school in your community, for the need for an Inuit Nunangat University. All of these issues were brought forward to the ministers, and the Prime Minister and we believe that we’ve been heard,” said President Obed.
Conversations on the Building Canada Act continued later in the day and would be ongoing.
President Obed said that the conversations with the federal government had been “fullsome” so far in terms of key considerations of Inuit treaties and the upholding of the provisions within those treaties as a “key consideration of this government.”
“We’ve had reassurances that the Bill C5, the legislation, and the listed projects related to the implementation of Bill C-5 will not interrupt the processes under our modern treaties, and that there will be full partnership of Inuit within these processes,” he said.
The leader said that the PM was “unequivocal” in affirming that modern treaty rights will not be disrupted by “nation-building.”
“From the Prime Minister to Minister (Dominic A.) LeBlanc, Minister (Timothy) Hodgson, Minister Rebecca Chartrand, Minister (Mandy) Gull-Masty, all of the ministers that will be responsible for the implementation of the Act and then at the prime minister’s direction, he was unequivocal in stating that this legislation will not interrupt the processes that have been set up under our modern treaties, when it comes to environmental assessment, when it comes to project reviews, the focus has been on what types of nation building projects are Inuit interested in building, how can we identify those projects together and then how can we make good on those projects by implementing them?”
Prime Minister and his cabinet ministers assured that they will be upholding the constitutionally protected agreements Inuit have with the Crown and the clear provisions around how any natural resource projects go ahead, said President Obed.
He also responded to questions about the announcement of leader Virginia Mearns as the new Arctic Ambassador. It’s a move that President Obed said he is very supportive of.
“I think Virginia Mearns is going to be an incredible contributor. In diplomacy at this point in time for Canada and she’s in Iqaluit, from Nunavut so she also will bring that Inuit perspective to any room that she’s in whether here in Canada or abroad,” said President Obed.
