There are certainly a number of institutions. I'm thinking, for example, of Nunavut Arctic College; the Nunavut Research Institute; the Aurora College Research Institute located in Inuvik; and Yukon University located in Whitehorse. These organizations are growing on an intellectual and scientific capacity level. It's vital to work with them from a logistics perspective—they're on the land—but also to access a whole host of communities. The organizations represent these communities and they train people from these communities. Their collaboration is key.
Each community must be included. I agree with the other witnesses. Each community must have the opportunity to hold a forum or a meeting to voice its concerns.
I worked in Kugluktuk, a community in the western Arctic, where the concerns revolved around access to the land, for access to a park. The Inuit had their own solution to prevent damage to the tundra by all‑terrain vehicles, a mode of transportation that they adopted. We worked with them to ensure that their concept was technically sound. It was a great experience.
People from the Centre for Northern Studies work on Bylot Island, which is very close to Mittimatalik or Pond Inlet. They work closely with the communities, particularly on animal biology. Community members and regional organizations, such as the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, participate in the research.
Our greatest wish is to train people. That's what interests us. The level of education isn't very high. At this time, very few young indigenous people finish high school or college. It would be good to have institutions in the north to train young people and integrate them into research teams in order to further their training.