Nunavut MLA attacks Ottawa, Inuit orgs on proposed federal law

Pangnirtung MLA Johnny Mike is not happy with the Liberal government’s Bill C-55, which would give the minister of Fisheries and Oceans the power to unilaterally order marine protected areas. (FILE PHOTO)

Facing the prospect of federal legislation that would give Ottawa more power to unilaterally create protected marine areas, Pangnirtung MLA Johnny Mike slammed the federal government for not consulting Nunavummiut.

And Mike criticized Inuit organizations for not lobbying against the legislation.

In a member’s statement Sept. 18 at the Nunavut Legislature Assembly, Mike, who handles multiple cabinet files within the Nunavut government, said the potential impacts of Bill C-55 could be an “absolute travesty” for his constituency.

“As Pangnirtung residents, we are well aware of the potential in our offshore areas which are used for economic opportunities today by interests from outside of Nunavut,” Mike said.

Bill C-55 is an act amending the federal Oceans Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act, and received second reading in the House of Commons June 15.

Among the bill’s proposed amendments, it grants new power to the minister of Fisheries and Oceans—currently Liberal MP Dominic Leblanc—to designate interim marine protection areas by order-in-council.

Those orders can stand for up to five years, before the minister must request that the marine protected area designation be enshrined permanently, or repealed.

“This proposed bill for marine management and petroleum industry sector management which is being developed seemingly turns its legislative back on the people of Pangnirtung,” Mike said.

“The federal government never consulted any northerners or my constituents on what concerns they may have about this proposed bill.”

Mike added that provisions within the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement appear to conflict with C-55, specifically sections outlining Inuit access to wildlife, and conservation area development within the Nunavut Settlement Area.

“It made me wonder if this provision was used as the reasoning for Inuit not being consulted in this bill,” he said.

Mike slammed the Liberal majority government, which, he said, “has no consideration of the Inuit.”

“I would ask the federal government to withdraw any iconic memorabilia from Inuit, which seems to show that Inuit are a part of Canada.”

Mike said C-55 shows how “inconsiderate” the federal government is toward Inuit, and because of that, the government is “just using Inuit as icons, which should not be the case.”

The MLA pulled no punches either with regard to Nunavut’s Inuit organizations, which he said have greeted the bill with “deadening silence.”

“I wanted to speak to these concerns in this [Nunavut Legislative Assembly], that bodies representing Inuit should be stating their positions,” Mike said.

Bill C-55 was also criticized by name during a recent meeting of Canada’s northern premiers in Yellowknife, Aug. 31. They released a statement saying the amendments allowing for the creation of interim marine protection should be struck from the legislation.