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NEWSLETTER Joint Secretariat Inuvialuit Settlement Region July/August 2021 Vol. 1 Issue 3 harvesting & SUStainability Table of Contents Basic Goals of the IFA The basic goals of the IFA expressed by the Inuvialuit and recognized by Canada are as Message from Chair of the Joint Secretariat Board Page 3 follows: ATHC’s Michelle Gruben: Resource Person at Work Page 4 • To preserve Inuvialuit cultural identity “Inuvut, Inikputlu” & Community Mapping Tour Page 5 and values within a changing northern Inuvialuit Game Council Page 6 society. ISR Community-Based Monitoring Program Page 7 • To enable Inuvialuit to be equal Environmental Impact Screening Committee Page 8 and meaningful participants in the Environmental Impact Review Board Page 9 northern and national economy and society. Fisheries Joint Management Committee Page 10 Marine Protected Areas in the ISR Page 11 • To protect and preserve the Arctic wildlife, environment and biological Wildlife Management Advisory Committee (NS) Page 12 productivity. Wildlife Management Advisory Committee (NWT) Page 13 The IFA provides for a land base, financial JS Youth Outreach Page 14 compensation, control of wildlife harvesting, JS Staff - At Work and Play Page 18 and an Inuvialuit voice in the future of JS Releases Beluga Harvest Youth Documentary Page 19 development in the ISR. p Joint Secretariat P.O. Box 2120 Tel: 867.777.2828 107 Mackenzie Road Email: [email protected] or Inuvik, NT X0E 0T0 [email protected] Website: www.jointsecretariat.ca Social: www.fb.com/jointsecretariat The Joint Secretariat - Inuvialuit Settlement Region - Newsletter is published twice a year. Print copies are available by mail or downloadable from the website. Contact the Joint Secretariat office for more information. Cover Photo - Hanging Arctic char in Ulukhaktok. Inset Photo - Elina, daughter of Alison Lennie and Tony Stefure, learning to harvest muktuk. (Photo: Sophie Stefure, Arctic Canoe and Kayak Rentals, Tuktoyaktuk.) Scope of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement Joint Secretariat Logo For the Inuvialuit Game Council and the IFA Committees (or joint management The 3 corners of the triangle represent the 3 groups bodies), the IFA specifically outlines their involvement in 4 Sections. The of people who work with the JS - the Inuvialuit, the Inuvialuit participation is ensured within these established structures. territorial governments and the federal government. Muskox and char were included to represent the IFA Sections IFA Specifies wildlife and fish, which are managed by the IGC and IFA Committees. The muskox was chosen because Section 11: The environmental impact screening and review it is typically an arctic terrestrial animal. The char Environment Impact process, including the 2 bodies responsible for was chosen due to its importance to the Inuvialuit Screening and Review screening and review – EISC and EIRB. communities. Lastly, the blue waves represent water Process and the white background represents ice and snow, Section 12: The special measures and management structure which are primary elements of the environment within Yukon North Slope that relate to the Yukon North Slope – those lands the ISR. between the Yukon-NWT boundary and Alaska; p responsible management organization – WMAC(NS). The Joint Secretariat (JS) logo was designed in 1987. Section: 13: Wildlife Impact Assessment and wildlife Wildlife Compensation compensation measures, should wildlife harvest loss result from development in the ISR. Section 14: The rights of Inuvialuit to harvest wildlife, marine Wildlife Harvesting and mammals and fish, and the related management Management processes and responsible management organizations – IGC, HTCs, WMAC(NWT), FJMC. 2 | Joint Secretariat Message from Chair of the Joint Secretariat Board LARRY CARPENTER Larry Carpenter, Joint Secretariat Board Chair. Hello! and continue to provide support to ensure Inuvialuit rights are looked after in the balance between harvesting and sustainability. I will Welcome to the 3rd Joint Secretariat Newsletter, Summer edition! In continue to provide a voice for the communities. this publication, we pay tribute to “Harvesting and Sustainability in the ISR”. We recognize the elders, the harvesters, knowledge holders, In 2020/2021, the JS continued to provide administrative and technical who were the backbone of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement (IFA). support to the IGC and 4 out of the 5 IFA Committees established under the IFA. As the JS administers all funding (receivables and payables), Inuvialuit continue to play a key role on decision-making matters that staff in the IFA Committees have been involved in the production of affect Inuvialuit traditional pursuits. As a result of the IFA, Inuvialuit their respective annual report activities (year ending March 31) as are involved in international, national and regional issues that affect part of the accountability process. all matters relating to wildlife. At the same time, we promote the sustainable use of wildlife amongst all Indigenous peoples. To stay connected on issues and with the communities in spite of COVID-19, the JS held and participated in many online meetings After 5 years, I am pleased to pass on the responsibility as Chair of and teleconferences this year. As vaccination numbers climb and the Joint Secretariat Board (JS) to Dennis Arey, the newly-elected restrictions are relaxed, a sense of normalcy is returning with tours by Chair of the Inuvialuit Game Council (IGC). Joining him is Herb the IGC, Munaqsiyit Program Contract Agreement Community Tour, Angik Nakimayak (FJMC Chair) as the Vice-Chair. Both come from a Community Mapping Tour, FJMC and WMAC (NWT) Community Tours. traditional Inuvialuit harvesting background. I am very proud to see them take on the leadership roles to ensure our voices are heard The JS is proud of our dedicated staff for continuing to do amazing in protecting and preserving the Arctic wildlife, environment and work as well as caring for the community through picking garbage as biological productivity. part of the Town of Inuvik Clean-up campaign to showing support in standing up against bullying. Of special note is a Long-Service Award As for me, I will remain focus in my role as the Chair of WMAC (NWT) to Bernice Joe for 20 years with the organization. Representatives from all HTCs met in Inuvik March 2021 to plan out a multi-year Lastly, we recognize Lindsay Staples! After more than 30 years as project to develop an Inuvialuit-led co-management framework for the Migratory the first and only Chair of WMAC (NS), he stepped down in March Bird Sanctuaries in the ISR. Jasmine Keogak from Sachs Harbour captured some of 2021 from the position. Thank you for your hard work and many the shared knowledge that resulted from that meeting through her graphic recording contributions! Happy Retirement Lindsay! panels like the one pictured below. Late flash - Jennifer Smith is the new Chair of WMAC (NS)! Thanks goes to Billy Storr as the Acting Chair in the interim. p Joint Secretariat Board JS Position IFA Committee Dennis Arey Chair IGC Chair Herb Nakimayak Vice-Chair FJMC Chair Larry Carpenter Member WMAC (NWT) Chair Jennifer Smith Member WMAC (NS) Chair David Livingstone Member EISC Chair Ethel-Jean Gruben and Member EIRB Co-Chairs (Acting) Cathy Cockney Melody Nice Secretary JS Executive Director Inuvialuit Settlement Region | 3 AHTC’s Michelle Gruben ... Resource Person at Work “I started working as the Resource Herschel Island to observe the cruise ship and see if there were Person (RP) for the Aklavik HTC any economic benefits for the community. March 23, 2009. It doesn’t seem so long ago. When you are busy There I am sitting, and people are coming off the cruise ship and love what you do, the days asking for the location of Kay Point. I showed them on the just fly by. It doesn’t seem like 10 map, not asking why they wanted to know. When we came Snap Chat years, well, maybe 5 years. home, I saw a friend’s post on about how there was a group of them hunting along the Yukon North Slope. That I work with a good Board, they are was a long way to travel. They posted photos saying that they always understanding and very could have gotten caribou but there were these people in red grounded. If there is a personal jackets walking on the beach. That was the tour group! conflict, that stays outside. It is all work-related once inside the Wearing my hat as RP for the AHTC, I asked to screenshot the AHTC. I like it. photos to share because the IFA says that any kind of activity like this (cruise ship) should not interfere with on the land The AHTC is made of 7 elected directors from the community. Among them, harvesting. That was September 2019. It took a long time; and they have an elected Executive (ie. President, Vice-President, Treasurer and just this past March (2021) we got word from the cruise ship Secretary). I report to the Executive; but my first point of contact is the owner that those harvesters were compensated for their time President. The full AHTC board is my boss. and loss of harvest. It really should be the whole community, because they lost out on the harvest. I’m so glad to have been Under the IFA, the AHTC is there along with the Aklavik Community a part of the fight standing up for our rights. Corporation (ACC) to look after the members. If a beneficiary were to walk into the office asking for help, like an application for IHAP or had harvesting Who is Michelle Gruben? questions, I would drop everything to help the person. In my eyes, that is I am still a Tuk girl in my heart, but Aklavik is my home! I never what this HTC is for … to help its members. There would not be an HTC office, thought I would live among the trees.