KIVALLIQ
After a rough start in the Kivalliq, Dunnedin Ventures Inc. is committing to better communication with communities.

Peter Kattegatsiak, left, discusses a map of the Kahuna Diamond Project with Dunnedin Ventures Inc. president and CEO Chris Taylor in Chesterfield Inlet on April 12. - photo courtesy Chris Taylor

When the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) released its screening decision April 4 on Dunnedin's Kahuna Diamond Project plans, it recommended to federal Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett that the project be modified or abandoned.

The proposed project is located near Rankin Inlet and Chesterfield Inlet.

Both the Kivalliq Inuit Association (KIA) and the Aqigiq Hunters and Trappers Organization (HTO) in Chesterfield Inlet expressed concerns over Dunnedin's lack of consultations on the project.

"Every proponent approaches that a little bit differently, and some better than others," said NIRB executive director Ryan Barry.

Dunnedin Ventures Inc. president and CEO Chris Taylor told Nunavut News/North in an interview that the company is working hard to get over the bad start.

"We're already getting over it by doing what we should do, which is talk with everybody," he said from Rankin Inlet.

"We're definitely proceeding with a modification to the exploration permit application that we submitted. Right now we're implementing all of NIRB's suggestions."

Taylor attributed the company's failure to consult to an advisor that has seen been dismissed.

Denise Lockett, a long-time Northerner, has taken over the role of community relations advisor. Taylor and Lockett held town hall meetings in Chesterfield Inlet April 12 and in Rankin Inlet April 13.

"It's already been a really good discussion. I really regret not having been in Chesterfield before. I apologized to everybody for not having been up there to see them yet," said Taylor.

"We needed to be working with somebody who could actually represent the community's interests to us and represent our interests to the communities, and build that line of communication. We're making up for months of inability to communicate."

Barry said the community of Chesterfield Inlet has expressed concern over the fact the project is proposed to be right next to, and sort of overlapping, some areas that were used by Shear Diamonds that have not been left in good condition.

He said the community feels the land has been contaminated by the previous exploration.

"The community focuses a lot on the importance of the Josephine Lake and River area for harvesting, and how this may impact wildlife and disrupt harvesting," said Barry. "They go there. They have a connection to it. They teach harvesting skills there. For them, the message we got was, any impact to the area would impact their own cultural pride and ability to maintain their harvesting activities, so those were pretty key components. There are concerns the project could affect migration routes, nesting grounds and fish habitat."

The Aqigiq HTO submitted a proposal to the Nunavut Planning Commission to designate the region around Josephine River and Lake as a protected area.

Dunnedin acquired 100 per cent interest in the project in 2014, and had planned to conduct year-round exploration from March 2016 until March 2018.

Till samples collected in 2015 revealed a high-grade sample of 6.5 carats per tonne.

"For diamond projects in the Arctic, it's a real project. I brought some of the diamonds we recovered from the project last summer (to Chesterfield and Rankin)," said Taylor, adding he understand Chesterfield Inlet's concerns due to the abandoned exploration camp that Shear Minerals left out on the land.

"I can say that if somebody left a mess in my back yard I don't think I'd be too happy either."

Taylor notes the Kahuna project is a lot smaller than the area that was previously worked by Shear and Dunnedin has no interest in the Josephine Lake area where the camp is located. But the community didn't know that, nor had they ever seen maps of the project. Taylor rectified this at the meeting.

That being said, Dunnedin wants to support the community in the clean-up of the Shears Mineral site.

"I'm going to be discussing with KIA here in Rankin, if there's anything the company can do to help clean up that camp we're certainly willing to do it," said Taylor.

"I don't think anybody knew what to do with it since it was just left out there, so there was a lot of discussion on what different groups could do to help fix it and we said, 'Look, we'll support whatever initiative comes forward to be able to help clean up the camp.' Our company feels that's important."

Barry says the community has also identified areas that were a natural transitory route people would follow while travelling on the land.

"So, they expect to see a lot of archaeology in the region, and a survey should be done before any type of disruptive activity that's being proposed can be carried out."

Taylor said his company is addressing all of NIRB's recommendations.

Dunnedin plans on submitting its modified proposal in two to four weeks.

"I guess if there's a silver lining to NIRB's response it's that we have a list of all the things we should have done in the first place," said Taylor.

From NIRB's perspective, though, Barry said, "The steps being taken now, we would have liked to have seen them done before the proposal ever came to us."