Sealskin industry gets federal boost
Federal government pledges $150,000 at trade show in Ottawa
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, February 1, 2016
OTTAWA
Canada's indigenous sealskin industry is getting a $150,000 shot in the arm after an announcement during the Northern Lights trade show in Ottawa last week.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greets Nunavut Premier Peter Taptuna at the Northern Lights trade show in Ottawa last week. Taptuna took part in announcing an investment in Nunavut's sealskin industry to sell in the European Union. - photo courtesy of the Government of Nunavut |
"The seal harvest is a traditional way of life for Canada's indigenous people, and it provides a key source of food, clothes and income for many Inuit families," stated Nunavut MP Hunter Tootoo in a news release following the announcement.
"This financial agreement will help Inuit families to create value-added seal products and it is a key way in which this government is demonstrating its commitment to supporting Northern economic development."
The contribution is the first to be signed under the federal Certification and Market Access Program for Seals (CMAPS), which was a five-year, $5.7-million program established in 2015. The program aims to fund development of certification and tracking systems so that seal products harvested by indigenous communities can be sold in the European Union.
Funds will help the Government of Nunavut lead a number of projects in collaboration with the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association and others. The projects aim to increase the amount and market value of sealskin products, reinvigorate the industry and bring awareness and opportunity to Inuit about accessing the EU and other markets.
"The EU ban on the import of seal products continues to affect Nunavut sealskin prices," stated Premier Peter Taptuna in the same release.
"The establishment of CMAPS supports our continued efforts to promote sealing as a sustainable industry, and actively market this important product through the Inuit exemption. It is also an opportunity to strengthen international knowledge and break down barriers to understanding why the sealing economy is so important to our people."
The EU requires that only seal products harvested by indigenous people and certified by a recognized body are allowed to be sold in Europe.
