HIGH-GRADE NI-CU-PT-PD-ZN-CR-AU-V-TI DISCOVERIES IN THE "RING OF FIRE"
NI 43-101 Update (September 2012): 11.1 Mt @ 1.68% Ni, 0.87% Cu, 0.89 gpt Pt and 3.09 gpt Pd and 0.18 gpt Au (Proven & Probable Reserves) / 8.9 Mt @ 1.10% Ni, 1.14% Cu, 1.16 gpt Pt and 3.49 gpt Pd and 0.30 gpt Au (Inferred Resource)
Message: A story about caribou and the natives
Before you jump me with the fact that this story is off topic to NOT as it takes place in an area far far away from the RoF, please let me quote the old song "...people are the same, whereever you go" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmALA8miQY8
My point is when the FN voice concerns about endangered caribou, and suggest to halt mining development for that reason (and they will), maybe they should start by taking a good long look in the mirror. The problem and sollution is the same as in the story below.
The problem of dwindling caribou herds is caused by exessive hunting by the FN, not by the mining companies.
I especially like the comments written by people living in the area. It's obvious they can't blame anyone but themselves, and they are not naive about it. The hunters have forgotten the FN concept of "don't take more than you need".
Also a good example, that with self government comes the burden of government, and consequently the conflict with the people, when the government act responsibly. Previously they've wanted to get news via radio in the oral tradition of the FN, but now when the news doesn't fit their agenda, they want written notice. Talk about bad excuses - HA!
http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674nunavut_mlas_confused_about_caribou_hunting_ban/
NEWS: Nunavut February 26, 2015 - 3:45 pm
Nunavut MLAs confused about caribou hunting ban
“My constituents want written confirmation of any limitation"
LISA GREGOIRE
Barthelemey Nirlungayuk of Kugaaruk speaks during a Nov. 3 Baffin caribou consultation meeting in Iqaluit. Legislative members sought answers this week on the current ban on Baffin caribou harvesting. (FILE PHOTO)
Moratorium? Where does it say that?
Two members of Nunavut’s legislature rose in the house this week to ask about the New Year’s Day interim ban on caribou hunting on Baffin island, and to get details about what’s going to happen next.
One even questioned whether the ban was in place at all, since he’d never seen written confirmation of the government decree.
The legislature’s newest member, Pauloosie Keyootak of Uqqummiut, said “confusion has reigned,” among his constituents and he asked Environment Minister Johnny Mike outright whether the moratorium had begun.
Mike confirmed that the moratorium had been in place since Jan. 1, 2015.
“Has the department provided a written announcement to all communities of this moratorium?” Keyootak asked during question period in the Nunavut legislature Feb. 25.
“Of particular significance is the fact that our community doesn’t have a wildlife officer presently and with no written confirmation and only radio announcements, some hunters don’t believe that a moratorium is in effect, quite a number of them.”
Although Inuit used to live by the oral tradition, more and more young people rely on the written word, he added.
“My constituents want written confirmation of any limitation, especially a moratorium on harvesting laid out in writing, outlining the rules Inuit have to follow,” Keyootak said.
Mike said he held a teleconference with Baffin MLAs when the ban came into effect but there was no member for Uqqummiut at the time.
The former member for that riding, Sam Nuqingaq, was kicked out of the legislature in October 2014 and there was no official representation until the Feb. 9 byelection.
But, Mike added, the Qikiqtaaluk Wildlife Board and local hunters and trappers organizations were informed all along about what was happening with regard to dwindling caribou numbers and the need for drastic measures.
“With respect to correspondence not reaching his community, or if one was sent,” Mike added, “it is something I will have to look into.”
Aerial surveys within the last few years, combined with Inuit knowledge, have confirmed that the caribou herds on Baffin Island have reached dangerously low numbers.
Experts suggest there are fewer than 5,000 caribou on Baffin, a 95 per cent reduction from a population of about 150,000 estimated during the 1980s.
Of those current numbers, officials suggest there are only a few hundred left in north Baffin.
As a stop-gap measure, while they draft a formal caribou management plan, the Nunavut government issued a harvesting ban for the entire island, until further notice.
Quttiktuq MLA Isaac Shooyook, a traditional hunter, often plays the role of observer when the assembly is in session but he used both his member’s statement and question period Feb. 25 to talk about Baffin caribou.
He asked Mike when the Baffin caribou management plan will be drafted and how long it will take to complete.
Referring to him as the “esteemed elder,” Mike first thanked him for the question.
“Currently, the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board has proposed a public hearing for the Baffin region regarding caribou management,” Mike said.
The board announced last month that the meeting would take place in Iqaluit from March 11 to March 13.
“After the public hearing process has played out, I will be provided with a list of recommendations from various wildlife organizations and at that time, we will be deliberating on these issues. That’s all I can say at this time.”
Shooyook pressed on, asking for timeline details. “Will it extend to the spring? Will it extend to a couple of years?” he asked. “Will you speak to that after the management process has been played out?”
Mike said it’s too early to tell but added that the process of drafting a caribou management plan itself will take “a couple of months.”
Shooyook, a resident of Arctic Bay, wondered whether the caribou might have migrated to the mainland and whether the GN has considered whether it would be okay to allow Baffin residents near the mainland to hunt there while the ban is in place.
“It doesn’t stop any Inuk from going to the Kivalliq region or near Repulse Bay. They have that freedom to go hunting caribou in those regions,” said Mike.
“I know for a fact that people from Igloolik and Hall Beach have quite a few frostbites on their cheeks, probably because they have gone long distances to go caribou hunting.”
Mike added that before the moratorium was enacted, the GN considered allowing local hunting and trappers organizations to come up with their own plan to manage the hunt locally.
“There was never any movement to the HTOs managing their local hunters. It raised a lot of local concerns,” Mike said.
“I have also heard on the local radio that the government just wants to control everything. That wasn’t our position, but that end decision was not made lightly… At this time, I have yet to hear of any HTO grabbing that mandate to handle their local hunters.”
#1. Posted by Whew on February 26, 2015
Only 500 left on the Island, very interesting. What does IQ say about hunting during times of such low population? It’s a good that the Government is here to force this moratorium. What do the elders of Uqqummiut think of this? Do they think they are being lied to about the number of caribou? You’d expect that they would be telling residents that official or not, the numbers are to low and we have to let the herd grow.
Or am I missing something?
#2. Posted by dave on February 26, 2015
people have to start to realize there are no caribou left, and realize the problem stems from a lack of understanding (lack of education).
It will take minimum 20 years before there is a healthy population
#3. Posted by observation of facts on February 26, 2015
Yes commentor #1, you are missing something. Read the article again…its 5000 not 500
#4. Posted by peter on February 26, 2015
MLAS Confused,hahahaha whats new,
#5. Posted by Whew on February 26, 2015
Sorry about the typo #3, I did realize it was 5000. At least I gave you some joy in being able to jump on that.
Are you suggesting that since there are a whole 10 times more than the 500 I accidentally mis-quoted that there are more that enough to keep hunting them? Do the people of Uqqummiut need the Government to tell them to give the herd time to grow or can they figure it out for themselves?
#6. Posted by Consistency on February 27, 2015
Well now that Pauloosie Keyootak of Uqqummiut is aware of the situation he will be able to insure that all in his communities are aware of the ban on hunting caribou.
I know the next number of years will be tough with the ban on hunting tuktu but it might be the best for our children.
I understand that the number is so low that it is hard to believe, what if every HTO organized a survey of their area all on the same day to ensure that the movement of caribou can be accounted for. We need our HTO/HTA to step up and fight for our wildlife and future hunting.
Tuktu hunters, and elders if we are not satisfied with the results of a GN survey then we should conduct our own, and lets do it separate from the GN. It is our way of life that is on the line.
#7. Posted by Hunter on February 27, 2015
Take what you only need, this little saying is very important. Too many hunters have been taking much more then what they needed and now this is what’s happening. Time to relearn your traditional knowledge. The younger generations don’t seem to know or respect our traditional knowledge and this has to change. We need to teach them better.
#8. Posted by secret on February 27, 2015
HTO’s should have done something. But, they didn’t. We need new HTO boards. They failed us. For the rest of existence we will be on a tagging system because the HTO didn’t do a temporary ban on hunting caribou, they should have also requested that the feds and territorial gov’t stop issuing hunting licenses. The life of a female caribou is about 9 years. They can produce about 3 babies in that time. This is a natural cycle. Assuming this cycle is every 50 years, over the course of a thousand years, we would run into this cycle 50 times? This important HTO step was missed on the first time this cycle has hit us since the creation of Nunavut, and they chose to skip the HTO community ban, and go right into an outright ban, with a tagging system to be imposed once the ban is lifted. The process of the caribou count needs to be properly revealed too. Do they put a line on the window, and count only whats below the line? the calculation also needs to be scrutinized. Too much fear.
#9. Posted by wow on February 27, 2015
wow, the thoughts of some people..the gov’t this the hto that…take a step back and look at yourselves. Inuit long ago had no hto’s or govt and they still knew what to do about hunting. look at everyone now, just want to blame everyone but yourself..pretty sad i’d say. Just take what you need and let the rest be. BUT also it states that this is a natural cycle and happens every so many years, INUIT should’ve known as they hunt them year in and year out for the past 1000s of years right…and they have always came back in population because inuit knew that they had to hunt other animals in order for the next generation of humans to hunt caribou.
#10. Posted by Hunter on February 27, 2015
The problem is some hunters don’t care or respect wildlife/environment. They shoot anything and every caribou they see. Glad to see IQ and Elders being offered an opportunity to reflect how this lack of caribou on Baffin should be managed. I hope Elders will talk about NOT TAKING MORE THEN YOU NEED, also keeping in mind ANIMALS need to be given an opportunity to grown in number so we have food going into the future?
#11. Posted by Ryan on February 27, 2015
I do support the ban, but I would like to know what the Government is gooing to do about the wolf population?
#12. Posted by detlef hansen on February 27, 2015
i am just surprised how many peeps still do not know what is going on with the caribou and how the work was done? i remember there were many meetings all across the bafin communities and different regional organizations, dont you guys go there to the town hall, or ask your hto board to get info?
#13. Posted by Peter on February 28, 2015
#12 a lot of people in Nunavut do not attend public meetings, yet when things are decided that’s when they come out and complain.
GN, NTI, QIA, KIA’s hold all kinds of community meetings and try to get community input but not very many people come out and get involved. Then later they ask what is going on and why weren’t we asked first.
Makes your head shake and think what the hell is wrong with these people who complain so much but not bother to come to meetings and ask questions and give input and ideas.
Best regards
DRA
New Message
Please
login
to post a reply