Heads-up on Hudson's Bay offshore oil
Senator says all stakeholders must be involved in any decision regarding Hudson Bay island community
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, March 14, 2016
SANIKILUAQ
"There's another sleeping giant in this story," said Nunavut Senator Dennis Patterson. "And that's oil and gas."
Patterson was talking to Nunavut News/North about Quebec's floated idea under Plan Nord to extend its borders, potentially capturing the Hudson Bay community of Sanikiluaq in that.
The issue has been brought up repeatedly for years but has recently been reignited because of Plan Nord, which is the province's infrastructure spending plan, involving hopes to develop a railway and a port on the Hudson Bay coast.
Jurisdiction of Hudson Bay water is currently under federal control, with input from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
Nunavut is in discussions with the federal government about taking over management of lands and resources onshore in Nunavut as well as offshore.
But Patterson thinks Quebec's interest involves more than just a port and railway.
"In the devolution negotiations, the offshore is going to be a subject of discussion," said Patterson.
"If the government of Quebec is going to campaign for offshore jurisdiction, it's not just about building docks and ports, I believe - it's also about having a voice or having a share of offshore oil and gas resources, if and when the day comes."
He was quick to add that he's not suggesting drilling will occur in the near future, but said over the years the interest has been expressed.
This adds to his primary concern that all parties be involved in any discussions about Sanikiluaq's futurs. That list includes Inuit in Nunavut, Nunavik, Labrador and the Northwest Territories.
Patterson has not heard any movement on the subject since he brought it up in the Senate late last year.
"I'm happy to let sleeping dogs lie, frankly," he said.
"I haven't really stoked the fires because I'm not sure how burning an issue it is. There have been no signs the federal government is interested in taking up that issue, but I'm saying if they do, they better make sure that all legitimate stakeholders are involved."
Though including Sanikiluaq in Quebec might make sense if one looked on a map, Patterson said in all his experience as a politician it's been clear that the people of Sanikiluaq very much think of themselves as Nunavummiut.
"People in Sanikiluaq have strong feelings about their connections to Nunavut, family and otherwise," he said. "I don't think that it's going to be well received by the people of Sanikiluaq."
Caroline Fraser, a media relations director for the Secretariat aux affaires intergouvernementales canadienne in the Quebec government, told Nunavut News/North that the province has been trying to expand for a century.
"Since 1907, successive Quebec governments have sought the incorporation into Quebec's territory of the islands in the northern seas adjacent to its shores, as well as a portion of those seas, in order to have a more appropriate boundary and to rectify problems related to the current configuration of the boundary," she stated.
The Government of Quebec wants to discuss the issue with the federal government, but that's about as far as the issue has come so far.
"Meanwhile, it would be premature to comment on the different possibilities of extension that could then be proposed," stated Fraser.
"In addition, a dialogue should eventually be held with the Government of Nunavut, as well as with the Inuit and Cree of Quebec."
