Iqaluit (Nov 22/04) - Baffin mayors say they are worried that contaminants from fuel spills and other hazardous wastes could be poisoning the meat of the animals they hunt and eat, and they want the matter investigated.

"What about oil drums that are left behind or buried?" asked Kimmirut mayor Joe Arlooktoo, who is also a hunter.

"Our metal dump is getting bigger," said Cape Dorset mayor Matthew Jaw, asking about options for recycling or shipping metal south.

On Wednesday, Environment minister Olayuk Akesuk met with mayors from Iqaluit, Panniqtuuq, Cape Dorset, Kimmirut, Qikiqtarjuaq, Clyde River, Pond Inlet, Arctic Bay, Iglulik, Hall Beach and Sanikiluaq.

They were in Iqaluit for three days of meetings Nov. 16-18.

Akesuk tried to assure mayors, many of whom are hunters, that steps are being taken to secure funding from the federal government for cleaning up contaminated sites.

But he couldn't give mayors solid answers about how or when country food could be tested.

He did say HTOs need more training to be able to examine wildlife in each region.

"They need to carefully examine what wildlife has been affected," Akesuk said. But this is something Annie Amitook, the mayor of Sanikiluaq, already knows.

She said wildlife officers need more training, but one of the main problems for her community was that they didn't even have a wildlife officer at all until recently.

Amitook said one of the big worries for her people is the quality of walrus meat in Hudson Bay.

A group called Nunavut Hudson Bay Inter-Agency Working Group (NTK) is concerned about possible contaminants in the bay.

"Walrus have to be examined to make sure there are no contaminants in the meat, make sure it is OK to eat," Amitook said.

While his department looks after land animals, Akesuk pointed out that the department of fisheries and oceans is the one to ask about testing walruses, for example.

Elijah Evaloarjuk, the mayor of Iglulik, said his people rely heavily on marine mammals, and some people are starting to ask questions about cancer levels in the community and whether or not it can be linked to contaminants seeping into the country food.

Half of a $500 million cleanup fund has already been used by Baffin communities.

Akesuk said some funding for cleaning up Nunavut lands could be obtained from NTI.