Sealing the deal in the North
Northern News Services
Monday, March 27, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The legislative assembly wrapped March 10, with the politicians returning to their seats in late May.
News/North will publish the occasional Hansard excerpt from last session's to provide readers with additional insight of how their elected reps view various issues.
This week features a statement, slightly edited for clarity, from Nunakput MLA Herb Nakimayak on emerging markets for seal and ivory products:
MEMBER'S STATEMENT ON SALE OF SEAL AND IVORY PRODUCTS TO CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS
MR. NAKIMAYAK: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Crystal Serenity Cruises is planning another trip through the Northwest Passage this summer. More than 900 tourists and 600 crew are expected to come aboard for the summer cruise season, the majority of them from the United States, Mr. Speaker.
The Crystal Serenity is a luxury cruise liner, nearly three football fields long and 13 storeys tall, and the largest cruise ship ever to traverse the Northwest Passage.
Mr. Speaker, tickets start at $20,000 per person and guests can watch polar bears and muskoxen, kayak along Canada's northernmost shores, and land on pristine beaches to hike where few have ever set foot. Other activities include birding, rafting, and helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft flights.
In Nome, Alaska, the annual Blueberry Festival was rescheduled so that visitors could enjoy blueberry pie while watching Inuit dancers and browse traditional handicrafts made by local artisans.
Mr. Speaker, while environmentalists are seeing doom, some Nunakput communities are seeing economic opportunities. Mr. Speaker, as we know, seal and ivory products cannot be brought into the USA.
In interest of maximizing benefits to the communities and Inuvialuit from cruise ship opportunities and providing the best available experience to the tourists, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation will host workshops ... to prepare for the upcoming cruise season as restrictions prevented Inuvialuit of Ulukhaktok from selling seal and ivory products to cruise ship passengers, which had an impact on traditional crafts sales and to coverers and seamstresses.
Mr. Speaker, the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species has exemption provisions that we should explore, such as the EU, which now agreed to accept Inuvialuit-harvested seals. This is a milestone for our region, and I commend IRC and the GNWT in this example of coordination and cooperation. Mr. Speaker, I see that Arctic cruises are an opportunity for remote communities in the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Masi.
