Creation of Autonomous Government in Nunavik
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Creation of Autonomous Government in Nunavik Jean-François Arteau* Nunavik (large land), is the territory located north of the 55th parallel in the Province of Quebec, Canada. Its land mass is 507,000 sq km., the size of France. Total population is 11,000 of which 90% are Inuit. They live in 14 coastal communities; more than 50% of the Inuit population is less than 20 years old. Access to the territory of Nunavik is only possible by plane and sealift. Major employment lies with the public and para-public sectors, tour- ism, services, mining, transportation, Inuit art etc. The cost of living is 70% higher compared to Quebec City, the capital of the Province of Quebec. Inuit pay taxes like any other Canadian.1 Starting in the 16th century, and over the next three centuries, naviga- tors from several European countries (for example, from England, France, Portugal) sought a Northwest Passage to Asia. About the same time, King Charles II of England grants the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) a trading monopoly over much of what is now known as the Canadian North. But, an event that took place 60 years ago, that will have major effects on the Canadian North and the Inuit, was the outbreak of World War II, which lead to the establishment of military bases in the North. Prior to WWII, the only non-Inuit visitors to that region were the HBC, missionaries of different denominations (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Moravians), explorers, mining prospectors, Scottish and American whalers. WWII catapulted the North, the Arctic and its inhabitants to the world scene, not only in Canada but also in Alaska and Greenland. Strategically speaking, during WWII, the only route to bring troops and military equipment to England was via the Arctic. The “Crimson Route” as * Legal Counsel and Executive Assistant to the President of Makivik Corporation (Email: [email protected]). The paper is presented at the third Akureyri Symposium on Polar Law held on 9–11 September 2010 at the University of Akureyri, Iceland. Author acknowl- edges Donat Savoie’s (Email: [email protected]) participation in the presentation. 1 See: Gérard Duhaime, Pierre Fréchette et al., Nunavik Comparative Price Index, Université Laval, Québec, Canada (2000). 344 Jean-François Arteau it was referred to, was established, and American military bases were created for example in Frobisher Bay now Iqaluit (capital of Nunavut), Fort Chimo (now Kuujjuaq, the regional capital of Nunavik) and Goose Bay Labrador. The same situation occurred in Alaska, where in 1942, the American army constructed the Alaska Highway that runs through the Yukon, and several thousands of troops passed through Whitehorse, its capital. After WWII, the Cold War followed. The fear was the threat of the USSR attacking North America via the North Pole. Thus, new radar systems were constructed in all regions of the Arctic, including the well-known DEW (Distant Early Warning) Line. There were major and substantial impacts from these military events and presence on Canada, on the Inuit and at the international level.It raised substantially the interest in the North and the Arctic, “discovery” of people (Inuit) in Canada without government ser- vices, and the question of Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic (which is still an issue today). All this military activity had also major impacts on the Inuit population. Many families started to live near these military bases. Some of them found employment at these bases (wage economy) and material to build some small houses. In 1953, the Government of Canada decided to create the Department of Northern Affairs and National Resources, with the mandate to administer Northern Canada and provide governmental services to the Inuit, including those living in Arctic Quebec.2 Schools were established, basic health services were provided, economic development projects started: this lead to the cre- ation of permanent communities all over the Arctic. In Nunavik, the situation was more or less the same as in other Arctic regions. The Canadian government established its presence, providing basic services to the Inuit population. It is important to underline the fact that Inuit were never placed under the Indian Act. The Indian Act is a legislation that goes back to Confederation (1867) which gave the federal government the constitutional responsibility over Indians and their lands. Inuit are full Canadian citizens and pay taxes. By the end of the 1950s and in the 1960s, the Province of Québec was going through major changes: that period is known as the “Révolution tranquille”. “Maîtres chez nous” was the word of the day. On the economic side, the Government of Quebec nationalized the electrical companies, and created Hydro-Quebec, which is a major producer of hydro- electricity and an important exporter to Eastern Region of the United States. In that context, in 1963, the Government of Quebec wanted to establish its 2 See: Elizabeth II, Loi créant le ministère du Nord canadien et des Ressources nationales, Chapitre 4, sanctionnée le 16 décembre, 1953, 2–3..