7 April 2016
NUNATSIAQ NEWS, Letter to the Editor, April 7, 2016
On March 14, the Winnipeg Free Press reported the results of a massive caribou harvest this year near Tadoule Lake in northern Manitoba, about 150 kilometres south of the Nunavut border.
The caribou were part of the Qamanirjuaq herd, thought to be one of the healthiest in Canada with a range that extends well into southern Nunavut.
Estimates of the harvest range from 2,000 to 5,000 animals. The hunt was done by Dene from Saskatchewan exercising their treaty rights but was called a “virtual slaughter” by some Manitoba Dene.
Dene from Manitoba are concerned about the effect hunts like these can have on the long-term health of the caribou herds and Manitoba’s grand chief wants a hunting moratorium until an agreement on harvest protocols can be reached.
In recent weeks, there has been a lot of media coverage regarding the Government of Nunavut’s position on industrial development in caribou calving grounds, post-calving grounds, and access corridors.
The GN recommends allowing responsible development in these areas, provided effective mitigation and monitoring programs are in place.
Although the Manitoba hunt was reported by the CBC on March 15, nothing has appeared in the Nunavut media despite its implications for the health of Nunavut caribou.
A person reading some of the northern media coverage in isolation could conclude that mineral exploration, mining, roads, and power corridors are the greatest threat facing Nunavut’s dwindling caribou herds today.
I can’t help but think that the long-term negative effects on caribou in Nunavut from events such as the Tadoule Lake hunt will be much greater than any responsible exploration, mining or power projects that might be undertaken now or in the future.
Elizabeth Kingston
General Manager – Nunavut
NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines