REVIEWS New Owners in Their an Adviser to the Inuit on the Land Tapirisat (Brotherhood) of Canada in Own Land Selection Process As It Pertained to 1971
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GEOSCIENCE CANADA Volume 31 Number 4 December 2004 191 REVIEWS New Owners in Their an adviser to the Inuit on the land Tapirisat (Brotherhood) of Canada in Own Land selection process as it pertained to 1971. From its beginnings, the Tapirisat subsurface mineral rights. He wrote his (ITC) was interested not only in Inuit book in retirement while an Associate culture and independence but also in by Robert McPherson with the Arctic Institute of North successful development of the Arctic The University of Calgary Press America. regions. Much of the book is devoted to 2500 University Drive N.W. This is essential reading for the ITC’s interventions and challenges Calgary AB T2N 1N4 mineral or energy explorationists. to government and industry. The ISBN 1-55238-097-1; 2003 McPherson states that prospecting, penultimate chapter “New Owners” is CDN$49.50,hardcover,$34.95 soft cover exploration and mining activities were gripping as it describes the long process the catalysts that brought about the of consensus building after agreement in Reviewed by E.R.Ward Neale 1993 Agreement. Many examples are principle was reached in 1990. The 5108 Carney Road N.W. given of the abuses that led to Inuit author and his colleagues played a Calgary, Alberta T2L 1G2 concerns about disruption of their major role here as they attended culture, desecration of the environment meetings in isolated communities and Our northernmost people are frequently and impact on wildlife and traditional delineated pockets of subsurface rights mentioned on the business pages of livelihoods. It tells also of how they that they felt should be part of any Canada’s newspapers. We read that the came to view government and industry agreement. The upshot was that the partners in the $5 billion Mackenzie as close partners who had little interest Inuit were awarded ownership of Valley pipeline, who already include the in Inuit concerns and whose 356,000 square km., 17.7 percent of Inuvik-based Aboriginal Pipeline consultation processes were a sham. Nunavut, and they own subsurface Group, are being asked multimillion This is what led them to strive for rights to a carefully selected 10.8 dollar land-access fees by native bands management boards to regulate, impose percent of this. The Agreement makes along the pipeline route. At the other standards and engage in joint planning the Inuit the largest freehold owners in end of the country, benefit agreements procedures. They were not against Canada, larger even than the C.P.R. between Inco and the Innu Nation for development but they wanted to be part In a final, short summary development of the Voiseys Bay, Labra- of it, to have some control over its chapter, the author agrees with dor, nickel deposit are said to hold good impact and to enjoy some of its Government negotiator, Tom Malloy, prospects of steady jobs and a produc- benefits. that the agreement is essentially about tive future for the indigenous people. The resulting Agreement is a people working together – not only for Things seem to be looking up for our beacon to aboriginal people everywhere the benefit of Inuit but for all of long neglected northerners. So how did and of interest to all thinking Canada. McPherson goes further and this come about? Canadians. McPherson’s details of how feels that the Inuit may form their own This aptly titled book provides the Inuit organized to bring it about community-based exploration groups answers that apply to the inhabitants of makes this publication a guidebook. and may one day aspire to take on that vast part of Arctic Canada, 20 With roots in an Ottawa-based responsibility for all Crown lands in percent of our landmass, now known as volunteer native rights group, the Indian Nunavut. “They will then become the Nunavut. It describes the events of Eskimo Association (IEA) was founded true custodians of the North for the three or more decades that led to the in 1960 by a wide variety of scholars, benefit of all Canadians.” Land Agreement between the Inuit educators and church people from The book is pitched at the people and the Government of Canada across the country to provide research, intelligent lay reader but offers special in 1993. It tells of the motivations that fund-raising and advocacy for aboriginal appeal to those with interest in mining drove a scant, widely scattered people. Generously supported by over and geology. Tribute is paid to the early population to organize, demand and 2000 members and by the private G.S.C. mapping by giants of the past eventually win control and ownership sector, its ultimate aim was to produce such as J.B. Tyrrell and Lud Weeks. rights. This account of history in the self-sustaining aboriginal associations. A Comprehensive accounts are offered of making is by one who knows whereof talented IEA field worker, Coral exploration highlights and the he writes. Robert McPherson spent his Harbour native Tagak Curley, brought development of producing mines, e.g. career in mineral exploration and the together Inuit leaders from Keewatin to Rankin Inlet Nickel, on the west coast last 20 years of it in the north. He was the eastern Arctic to form the Inuit of Hudson Bay, which produced from 192 1955 to 1962 and the Nanisivik base important of which is Barrier Lake cial Park is a welcome companion for metal mine in north Baffin Island, active (although, confusingly, its name still every hiker with an interest in the from 1976 to 2002. Serious Inuit appears). Several trails lead away from surrounding geology. It is written with concerns stem from the Rankin Mine the campground at Garibaldi Lake and the layman in mind. Accordingly, the and its aftermath. Serious Inuit one wonders why they are not shown on format of the guide makes it easy to involvement (through the ITC) stems the relief map, especially considering read and all the graphs are easily under- from the early years and led to that the distances along these trails are stood. satisfactions in the late years of given in the text and since many features The guide is a foldable map and Nanivisik. Throughout, readers with along these trails are discussed. thus is easy to carry around. Also, the geological or mining backgrounds will This leads to one of the most use of waterproof paper makes it ideal be delighted to see the names of former unfortunate shortcomings of this to take along on a hike. The guide colleagues and acquaintances (and even document. Some of the features comprises two maps, one on each side onetime classmates!) in Arctic roles that discussed cannot be observed from the of the page, surrounded by explanatory we may not even have guessed. Also, viewpoints they are referenced to. This notes. The first map is a relief map of we’ll meet Isaac Attagutsiak “one of the is the case for three out of eight boxes. the immediate surroundings of Garibaldi true founders of Nanivisik”, Allie Cinder Cone, The Table, and Mount Lake. Names discussed in the text are Salluviniq – a survivor of the Garibaldi cannot be seen from the shown on the relief map, as is the trail Government resettlement program at viewpoints indicated (but the above- from the parking lot to the campground Resolute, and many more colourful bit mentioned trails do lead to stellar at Garibaldi Lake. Along this trail six players in this Arctic pageant. viewpoints of each of these features). viewpoints are indicated and cross- A serious criticism is the lack of Unfortunately, four of the eight boxes referenced to several inset boxes. Each a legible location map. A drastically show features photographed either from of these boxes shows a photo of the reduced, coloured map of “Inuit Owned ground locations other than the hiking corresponding feature and explains its Lands in Nunavut” on the inside of the trails, or from an aircraft. Also, that geological origin. The reverse side of the front cover does justice to the surface Mount Garibaldi is shown from the trail guide shows the geology of a greater and mineral rights land locations. south near Squamish, and not from the area surrounding Garibaldi Lake and However, most of its print is not north where the trails are, is surprising, general information on geological readable with the naked eye so, if you as Mount Garibaldi looks very different processes that affect southwest British can’t remember where Coral Harbour, when viewed from these two directions. Columbia and the map area specifically. Arctic Bay, or Grise Fiord are located, The geology map is also not The text fields are clearly separated and you may have to resort to your hand without mistakes. The geological units succinct, and keep the reader interested. lens! Apart from that oversight, it’s a shown on the map appear to be Unfortunately, the guide has really great read. Learn while you enjoy. approximations as some of the lines are some weaknesses and errors that impossible to explain otherwise. That diminish its usefulness. One would hope the trail to Garibaldi Lake is shown to that a revised version will update and Geology of the Garibaldi take a different path on this map correct these. Lake Region, Garibaldi compared to the relief map is very The relief map gives a good unfortunate. The two lakes missing on impression of the area, but no elevations Provincial Park the relief map are shown on the are given. Elevations of Garibaldi Lake geological map. Furthermore, Mount and some of the surrounding peaks By M.C. Kelman, C.J. Hickson, and By M.C.