Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Oct 28/02) - An agreement in principle that Premier Paul Okalik called offensive earlier this year was signed by Nunavik's Makivik Corporation and the federal government Friday afternoon.

Premier Paul Okalik said he remains cautiously optimistic that changes will be made to the offshore claim between Nunavik's Makivik Corporation and the federal government. Okalik originally called the agreement offensive because it currently gives Inuit from Nunavik constitutionally protected fishing rights in Nunavut waters. - Kerry McCluskey/NNSL photo

Makivik President Pita Aatami and Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault were on hand for the signing at the Holiday Inn in Montreal.

The signatures on the AIP bring the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement one step closer to completion. While the land claims agreement itself was finalized in 1975, the offshore claim was put on the backburner. Discussions resumed in 1993 and with the ink now dry on the AIP, the only remaining task is to put the finishing touches on the final agreement.

The premier called the AIP offensive because it gives Nunavik Inuit the right to percentages of shrimp and turbot quota increases in Davis Strait and Baffin Bay, between Baffin Island and Greenland.

The waters of Davis Strait run from Resolution Island to Qikiqtarjuaq and Baffin Bay runs from Qikiqtarjuaq to Grise Fiord.

The current agreement gives Nunavik 7.7 per cent of any increase in the shrimp quota in Davis Strait and 8.8 per cent in Baffin Bay. It also entitles them to 10 per cent of any turbot quota increase in Davis Strait.

Okalik said the allocation -- which will be constitutionally protected if the fishing clause stands as is in the final agreement -- poses a threat to Nunavut interests.

Nunavut currently has just 27 per cent of the turbot in Davis Strait and 14 per cent of the shrimp in Davis Strait and Baffin Bay. Okalik said the agreement jeopardizes Nunavut's chances of accessing future quota increases.

"We support (Makivik) in their effort in trying to get certainty in waters they have inhabited for a long time. But, where our concern lies is when they get rights above and beyond that in our waters," said Okalik, last Tuesday afternoon.

"If we can address those concerns in the final agreement, we will be quite content," he said.

All is not lost

Okalik tried to have the clause amended prior to Friday's signing, but was unable to advance Nunavut's case in time. However, in conjunction with the Makivik Corporation, a proposal was submitted to both Indian Affairs and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Okalik said the proposal addresses his concerns by asking that Nunavut's rights be protected in the final agreement.

"I have received assurances from the Prime Minister that our concerns will be addressed before the agreement is finalized," said Okalik.

Aatami was unavailable for comment prior to press time, but Tom Molloy, the negotiator on behalf of the federal government, said making changes to the final agreement was not a problematic process.