Inuit gather for general assembly
Twelfth quadrennial conference to take a 'big picture' look at the Arctic, says ICC Canada president
Laura Busch
Northern News Services
Published Monday, July 21, 2014
INUVIK
Hundreds of Inuit from Nunavut are joining their counterparts from the circumpolar North in Inuvik this week for the Inuit Circumpolar Council's 2014 general assembly, being held from July 21 to 24.
At least 600 official delegates and athletes from Canada, Greenland, Alaska and Russia are expected to attend the conference, which coincides with the 2014 Traditional Circumpolar Northern Games, which take place July 21 to 27.
Duane Ningaqsiq Smith, president of the Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada, said the assembly will be taking a "big picture" look at the Arctic.
"Anything and everything is going to be on the agenda, pretty well," he said. "From community issues to food security to infrastructure, climate change resource development and extraction, and shipping and political involvement in the Arctic.
"This is the gathering of the Inuit leaders from the Circumpolar Arctic to get together and discuss the issues that are affecting who we are, our identity, our culture, our way of life, our survival and to develop a co-ordinated approach and maximize our opportunities."
Speakers include Inuit Circumpolar Council chairperson Aqqaluk Lynge, Arctic Council chairperson and Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami president Terry Audla, Nunavut Premier Peter Taptuna and NWT Premier Bob McLeod. Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is the honourary patron of the assembly, is tentatively scheduled to appear via videolink.
Several community events will be integrated into the assembly, including an Oceans Day parade after the ICC's welcoming reception on
July 20, followed by a performance by Iqaluit's Jerry Cans and the Inuvik Drummers and Dancers.
A side event on traditional knowledge and Western science is to be held on July 23.
Inuvialuit Regional Corporation chairperson Nellie Cournoyea told Inuvik Drum last week she is looking forward to the event.
There are strong family ties among the Inuit people of Nunavut, the NWT and Alaska, she said, and those are treasured although they don't see as much of each other as they might like.
As a result, many hundreds more were expected in Inuvik during the week of the conference. To prepare for the influx to the town of about 3,300 people, a river barge is being used as accommodations and a work camp is set up near Aurora College where dorms will also be used to house visitors, said organizer Peggy Jay of the IRC.
This will be the first time the general assembly is held in Canada since the last time it was held in Inuvik, back in 1992. The assemblies are held once every four years.
2014 ICC general assembly session topics
- Session 1: The broadening scope of Arctic governance, 9:15 a.m. July 22
- Session 2: Healthy communities and family wellness, 11:30 a.m. July 22
- Session 3: Sustainable resource use and management, 3 p.m. July 22
- Session 4: Arctic economic and resource development, 9 a.m. July 23
- Session 5: Capacity, infrastructure and sustainable communities, 2 p.m. July 23
- Session 6: Responding to environmental challenges, 9 a.m. July 24
Source: Inuit Circumpolar Council 12th general assembly agenda
- with files from Shawn Giilk
