CLASSIFIEDSADVERTISINGSPECIAL ISSUESSPORTSOBITUARIESNORTHERN JOBSTENDERS

ChateauNova

http://www.neas.ca/


NNSL Photo/Graphic


Canadian North

Home page text size buttonsbigger textsmall textText size Email this articleE-mail this page

Stand up for your rights, Greenland's premier says
Nunavut can learn from neighbour on natural resource rights, Kleist says

Casey Lessard
Northern News Services
Published Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012

IQALUIT
Nunavut needs to stake its claim over its natural resources, Greenland's Premier Kuupik Kleist said during an Aug. 7 to 9 visit to Iqaluit and Pangnirtung. It was just one of the economic priorities on the agenda for Kleist and Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak.

NNSL photo/graphic

Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak hosted Greenland Premier Kuupik Kleist Aug. 7 to 9 for his first official visit. - Casey Lessard/NNSL photo

"You need to sometimes push the federal government in the right direction to achieve your goals," Kleist said. "Our situations are similar. We have a close relationship with the Danish government as I know Nunavut has with the Canadian government. Nunavut home rule is much younger, so I find it natural that we discuss those issues, especially with respect to controlling natural resources."

Aariak, who first met Kleist in 2009, agrees that Nunavut and Greenland can learn a lot from each other. While Kleist looks to develop his country's mining potential, Aariak looks toward oil and gas.

"We have such similarities and challenges," she said, "and it's important to work together to advance certain areas, such as economic development in the areas of resource extraction, oil and gas – Greenland is quite active in that area right now, but Nunavut will get there, for sure – as well as mining explorations."

Kleist has been visiting Nunavut since the 1980s, but on this, his first official visit, he also travelled to Pangnirtung, where he was treated to tours of the community and Auyuittuq National Park, Pangnirtung Fisheries, a community tea, and a dinner hosted by Mayor Sakiasie Sowdlooapik.

"Everybody is excited about closer ties with Greenland," said senior administrative officer Ron Mongeau. "Greenland has a long history of resource development and a robust fishing industry, so we're looking for some opportunities to work co-operatively with them."

Greenlanders have been working with Pangnirtung since the fishery's early days, Kleist said.

"Now that the commercial fishery has been introduced in this region, and whilst Greenland's main economic activity has been fisheries for many years, I think we have something to offer," he said. "It's very promising for Nunavut to look into commercial fisheries as the resource is presumably as big and has not been utilized."

Aariak said it was Greenlanders that came over to Pangnirtung and showed them how to take part in the halibut fisheries during the winter.

"Toward the end of this month, there will be another opportunity where Nunavut and Greenland will get together to show how to use new technologies for summer (turbot) fishing," she said.

Growing the country food economy is a priority for Nunavut's premier as the territory looks to Greenland for ways to reduce food insecurity.

"We get our food flown in from southern parts of the world. Why not look at ways of sharing natural resources and healthy foods?"

For Kleist, it's a shared challenge. He said his government is pushing for greater consumption of country food.

"It is a clear policy of my government to achieve self-reliance in food," he said. "We don't need to import fishes and meats as we do extensively today. It's there. Everything is in favour of developing our traditional foods, and my government is working on having institutional kitchens – like nurseries and kindergartens – take in more traditional food."

Other shared concerns were discussed, including skills development, infrastructure, and Nunavut's role in the Arctic Council. Greenland's government supports the new air link between Iqaluit and Nuuk, and Kleist hopes the route continues as it is a good way to strengthen ties between the neighbouring regions.

"As very close neighbours and facing the same challenges, we have a need to deepen our relations," he said. "We have a lot to achieve yet."

E-mailWe welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.