Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Sep 02/02) - Inuit unable to hunt can now assign their hunting rights to a non-Inuk spouse or relative.

The controversial debate over the assignment of harvesting rights in the Iqaluit region came to a close last week when those who attended the Amarok HTA meeting voted to allow non-Inuit to hunt for their Inuk relatives.

But not all Inuk women at the meeting were satisfied with the entire process. Aseena Allurut, married to a non-Inuk, 12-year resident of Iqaluit, said she believes the vote was held too soon and is concerned that only 21 members showed up.

"I think they were trying to get this done and over with as soon as possible ... it doesn't matter if we're prepared or not," Allurut said.

"They could have waited until at least next month until more people came out."

Many Inuk women who have been fighting for the right to transfer harvesting rights over the past few months were unaware of the meeting, couldn't attend at such short notice or were out of town, according to Allurut.

"It should have been planned a little bit better," she said.

After a short delay the meeting went ahead and the vote to approve the assignment of rights was passed with 11 in favour and six opposed.

Approval of assigning harvesting rights comes with a list of conditions. Some of those conditions made Allurut uncomfortable.

Assignees are required to submit a monthly report to the Amarok HTA office, with everything from ptarmigans to caribou and polar bears recorded. The data are then forwarded to the board at the HTA's annual general meeting.

HTA chair David Ell said the reports are required simply "for information purposes," but Allurut said they make her feel like an outsider.

"I didn't really think it was fair that we have to submit a report whereas other (Inuit) hunters do not," she said.

"It is different when you get someone else to do something for you, but at the same time you want to be treated equally as everybody else."

She said there is no immediate need for the submission of monthly reports because there are no quotas for small game, including caribou, in the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.

Ell said the new policies are set in stone and can only be changed by a vote.