Thank you very much.
Thank you for the opportunity to sit and talk with you today in regard to economic development, specifically with Inuit. As mentioned, my name is Belinda Webb and I'm the director for the social, cultural and economic development department within Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. ITK is the national Inuit organization, and we represent the four Inuit land claims in Canada. These are Nunatsiavut, which is the region I'm from, which is northern Labrador; Nunavik, which is northern Quebec; Nunavut; and Inuvialuit, which is part of the Northwest Territories.
For my presentation I will discuss five needs and suggest some solutions in regard to economic development for Inuit Nunangat. Just to give you a highlight, those five particular needs are the need to treat Inuit Nunangat as one region; the need to recognize the realities in Inuit Nunangat; the need for flexibility; the need to implement the land claims; and the need to develop collaborative management policies and procedures.
First, there is the need to treat Inuit Nunangat as one region. As previously mentioned, it's the four Inuit land claim regions of Canada that we represent. The process of political development in Canada has had the effect of establishing jurisdictional barriers that have historically been at odds with the political and economic development objectives of Inuit Nunangat. This is most clearly seen in the federal government's arbitrary policy of making distinctions between the regions that are north of 60, which would include two of our regions, Inuvialuit and Nunavut, and those south of 60, which would include Nunavik and Nunatsiavut.
I'm aware that in your current mandate for your study you're just studying the three territories, so I'd highly suggest that you also incorporate the other two Inuit regions that we have that aren't within your current mandate for your study, which as previously mentioned are Nunavik and Nunatsiavut. The reason is that the reality is that all of the regions within Inuit Nunangat share the Arctic environment as well as a common heritage, culture, and language. The settlement of comprehensive land claims agreements throughout Inuit Nunangat means that they all share a similar legal and regulatory framework. Inuit Nunangat claimant groups have developed effective mechanisms, both through their agreements and in terms of program delivery, to establish effective partnership agreements with their respective provincial and territorial governments and counterparts.
So a federal framework that treated Inuit Nunangat as one region from a policy perspective would demonstrate an understanding of these underlying realities and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of federal community economic development program delivery.
The second need is to recognize the realities of Inuit Nunangat. One of the greatest barriers Inuit face is a lack of understanding of the total environment within which Inuit are trying to promote business and economic development. Programs that don't fit or people who don't understand the realities of the north are two of the major obstacles that Inuit deal with on a daily basis.
Significant time and effort have been spent over the past several decades to explain, educate, and enlighten people about the realities in Inuit Nunangat. Inuit share a common heritage, a long history of living in the Arctic, but a very short history of participation in a typically southern style of economy. Across Inuit Nunangat there is an immature Inuit business economy and a large infrastructure deficit when compared to the rest of Canada.
Another barrier to economic development in the Arctic is the lack of understanding of the cost of doing business in Inuit Nunangat and the impact of these costs on economic development. In addition to the increased costs, the purchasing power is diminished, the need for client equity is increased, markets are extremely limited, and opportunities, especially as defined in a southern context, are few.
Third is the need for flexibility. Government support for economic development in Inuit Nunangat must be based on sound principles but must also include the flexibility required to allow it to respond to the different governance styles in place. It must also recognize that each of the comprehensive land claims agreements are somewhat different and that arrangements and planning practices already exist between claimant organizations and the respective provincial and territorial governments.
Programs must be timely and must respond to the timelines imposed by sealift or ice road requirements. High costs and the lack of infrastructure require an increased level of cooperation between all levels of government, the private sector, Inuit institutions, and other partners that are identified.
All parties must work to remove unnecessary restrictions, to make accommodations for others, and to seek to streamline the process to maximize the return for the communities. Opportunities must be defined within the context of remote Arctic communities. They cannot match the definition used in southern Canada.
The fourth need is to implement land claims agreements. The Indian Act does not apply to Inuit Nunangat. The five comprehensive land claims agreements provide the principles on which the federal government must deal with Inuit land claims organizations. Each of the comprehensive land claims agreements is unique, and the responsibility for implementation varies from agreement to agreement. But in every agreement, the negotiators have clearly understood the necessity and importance of clearly identifying the role of the federal government in the process.
Unfortunately, the record on claims implementation has not been acceptable to the Inuit organizations. The Nunatsiavut agreement is still new, and we hope their experience is a more positive one. That said, the comprehensive land claim agreement holders continue to work at improving the understanding of the reality of Inuit Nunangat while hoping that this will lead to implementation as outlined in their agreements.
Fifth is the need for collaborative management. All key areas of responsibility within Inuit Nunangat agreements, such as wildlife management, land use planning, environmental assessment, and project review regimes, are based on principles of co-management. The spirit and intent of these agreements should also be reflected in the development of policies and programs and arrangements directed towards addressing community economic development needs throughout Inuit Nunangat.
The establishment of the National Economic Development Committee for Inuit Nunangat, with Inuit, Inuvialuit, and government representatives as full members, represents an opportunity to move forward in a collaborative manner to develop practical strategies for addressing current and future economic development needs and priorities.
In 2006, the Inuit community economic development organizations, or CEDOs, from the four Inuit regions met to discuss common problems. They agreed to work towards a committee made up of the Inuit, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada headquarter personnel, and INAC regional office personnel.
In 2008, an MOU was signed between the INAC deputy minister and Inuit leaders that led, as mentioned, to the formation of the National Economic Development Committee for Inuit Nunangat. The establishment of NEDCIN for Inuit Nunangat, with Inuit, Inuvialuit, and government representatives as full members, represents an opportunity to move forward in a collaborative manner.
The first meeting of NEDCIN was held in April, and a work plan was approved that identified a number of priorities. The areas I have listed above were all included in this particular work plan. The Inuit members of the NEDCIN prepared an Inuit response to the proposed federal framework on aboriginal economic development. When the Regional Economic Development Agency, also known as CanNor, was announced, the Inuit members of NEDCIN prepared an Inuit position on the agency and how it might be structured to meet our common challenges.
In addition to those documents, other draft documents have been prepared on the following items: the cost of doing business in Inuit Nunangat, the discussion paper on collaborative management, the Inuit need for multi-year funding agreements, economic development implications of the comprehensive land claim agreements, what community economic development means in Inuit Nunangat, and urban Inuit access to economic development support and funding.
These papers and a number of others in the works are designed to explain, educate, and provide a road map to guide all the partners in Inuit Nunangat over, around, through, or under the barriers facing Inuit. Collaborative management is one of the best ways to identify and respond to the unique set of circumstances found in Inuit Nunangat. Inuit have survived for thousands of years in an Arctic environment by working together to solve common challenges. NEDCIN provides a new vehicle to build on that process. When you're looking at economic development specifically through the Inuit perspective, you need to regard all our land claim agreements, including Nunatsiavut, Nunavik, Nunavut, and Inuvialuit.
As previously mentioned, with me today is Gordon Miles, who is the coordinator of the NEDCIN committee.
