October 30, 1981
Nunavut land claim negotiators reached the first of many agreements-in-principle in 1981, on wildlife. The agreement provided for the creation of the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. It would take nine more years to produce a comprehensive agreement-in-principle.
Negotiators reach wildlife agreement-in-principle
Nunatsiaq News
OTTAWA — An agreement-in-principle was signed October 27 by chief federal negotiator for land claims Robert Mitchell and chief negotiator for ITC land claims Thomas Suluk.
The agreement-in-principle marks the end of the first stage of negotiations necessary to a complete agreement-in-principle on Nunavut land claims.
The agreement consists of three parts, relating to Inuit harvesting rights, how those rights are to be managed and economic opportunities for Inuit in the renewable resource economy.
Under the agreement-in-principle, Inuit will be able to harvest all species of wildlife up to their full level of need, only restricted by the need for conservation.
A Nunavut wildlife management board, composed of four Inuit members, four members appointed between the territorial and federal governments and an independent chairman, will be established as the main instrument of wildlife management in Nunavut.
Although the board will have no independent law-making powers, it will be substantially binding on government. The Nunavut wildlife management board will be set up in the near future as an advisory body, but when negotiations on a complete land claims agreement have been completed, it will assume more responsibilities.
Under the agreement-in-principle, Inuit will also receive special advantages in entering commercial fishing and tourism industries in Nunavut.
Mr. Suluk said he is "definitely pleased" with the agreement-in-principle. "We got pretty well what we asked for," he said, in terms of participation, management and economic opportunities. He said he is "proud of our people, who put in a lot of hours."
The next round of Nunavut land claims talks are scheduled to begin November 16 in Saskatoon when communications will be the first topic discussed.
Mr. Suluk said the next topics for negotiation will be communications, housing, health, education, archaeology and justice. "These are short items," he said, "and are not going to take two months to do."