Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (July 08/02) - Members of Iqaluit's Amarok Hunters and Trappers Association are feeling relief after attending a two-day workshop on the assignment of harvesting rights.

Aseena Allurut, a resident of Iqaluit, said it was a good feeling to have all parties understand each other at last.

Confusion, tension and general misunderstanding has kept HTA members and the executive from resolving the issues for the last several years.

Included in the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement to ensure that Inuit who cannot hunt for themselves have access to a food source, the issue of assigning one's harvesting rights to another Inuk or a non-Inuk spouse has become complicated.

Some female HTA members are concerned they will not be able to assign their rights to their non-Inuk spouses. Meanwhile, some male members are concerned non-Inuit will become entitled to hunt big game species that carry quotas.

But, following a two-day workshop at the end of June, women, men, executive members, hunters and elders are all reportedly on the same page. Officials broke down barriers by explaining in detail Article 5.7.34, the section of the NLCA that governs assignment.

"It was really helpful because we were finally able to understand each other's side," said Allurut.

"Once (members) understood the terms and conditions and once (the executive) understood where we were coming from, we were able to talk it over," she said.

A final report is scheduled to completed this summer. Recommendations made at the meeting will then be used to develop a new set of policies and procedures for the assignment of rights.

"We're going to draft new procedures and make ones that are usable," said David Ell, Amarok's chair.

The HTA membership will then vote on the new policies and they will become bylaws to be followed by Iqaluit beneficiaries and any residents who are assigned rights.