QAMANITTUAQ/BAKER LAKE - The Government of Nunavut is planning public forums to discuss uranium mining in Nunavut, as part of the process to create formal policy on uranium mining in the territory.

Spurred by concerns raised by projects like Areva Resources' Kiggavik project near Baker Lake, the Government of Nunavut will begin holding a series of public forums on uranium mining next week in Iqaluit. Here, Moses Ikinilik fuels a generator at the Kiggavik site. - photo courtesy of Areva Resources Canada Ltd.

This comes as Areva Resources is undergoing an environmental assessment for their Kiggavik uranium mine project.

The Nunavut Chamber of Mines and industry members will participate in the two-day sessions scheduled for Iqaluit March 16-17, Baker Lake March 30-31 and Cambridge Bay April 12-13. The first day of each forum will be an informational open house, with the second day including presentations by panelists, with the public having the opportunity to ask questions.

Some, however, don't think the consultations are enough.

"I guess this is some way to meet the requests for public consultations, but they are only going to three communities," said Sandra Inutiq, a spokesperson for Nunavummiut Makitagunarningit (Nunavummiut can rise up). "What we have been asking for is that people be informed and be part of the decision making process... if they decide they want it, then so be it, but people should make an informed decision."

Inutiq is also concerned about the environmental impact of mining uranium in the territory.

"Sure, there will be short term benefits, but what about the long term? We know that lichen is great at absorbing radiation, and the caribou feed off that," said Inutiq. "We also know that uranium tailings are one of the most toxic things known to science. And we know what exposure does. The medical profession has said for years that there is no safe amount of exposure to uranium radiation."

Barry McCallum, manager of Nunavut Affairs for Areva Resources Canada, said he is interested in hearing what people from the communities have to say.

"We have been communicating with people in the region to help with our plans for the project," said McCallum. "We have a solid record of performance in other projects in Saskatchewan where we do this safely and where roughly half our employees are from the area and 80 per cent of them are aboriginal.

"We are confident that any balanced view of the industry will show that the industry is responsible and we know how to do this."

He also said he is open to the idea of having more consultations in other communities in the territory. "We really want to hear what people think."

Areva's Kiggavik project is currently being assessed by the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB), which has recently come under fire by the Baker Lake Hunters and Trappers Organization (HTO) for reasons other than fears about uranium mining.

In letter dated Feb. 27, the HTO requested that the assessment be paused until the draft guidelines for Areva's environmental impact statement can be translated into the Baker Lake dialect of Inuktitut.

"While we are aware there there are a number of difficulties with translating technical terminology from English to Inuktitut, we feel that the issues that Baker Lake is faced with are too important to neglect due to process and the full involvement of elders and other unilingual Inuit during this review," read the letter.

NIRB's response indicated that while the review board had obtained a copy of terms related to environmental contaminants in Inuktitut from Aurora College's Nunavut Research Institute, the document proved of limited use during the review of Kiggavik.

"...the board is not equipped to develop new Inuktitut terminology and is unsure whether meaningful translations of these technical aspects of the revised draft EIS Guidelines can be completed at present," read NIRB's response. "As such, suspending the Board’s review of the Kiggavik project proposal would not appear to be feasible at this time, given that such a delay could prove to be indefinite."

John Main, economic development officer for Arviat, said he hasn't taken a position on uranium mining in Nunavut.

"I'm on whatever side the people are on," said Main. "Of course I want to see people get jobs and support their families, but we have to balance that with taking care of our environment and ensuring people's safety."

Construction for the Kiggavik project is expected to begin in 2015 after the environmental assessment and permitting process is complete with production expected to begin in 2019.

Kiggavik is expected to create between 500 and 600 jobs when it begins commercial production and have a 20-year lifespan.

-- with files from Guy Quenneville

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