Photo: Terry Audla speaks against polar bear trade ban in Bangkok

Terry Audla, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, speaks to a reporter in Bangkok this week about Inuit opposition to a U.S. proposal to place an international trade ban on polar bears. But on March 7, the 178 national delegates to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES, rejected a proposal to ban international trade in polar bear products: 38 voted in favour, 42 against, with 46 abstaining. “What it means to the Inuit people is that it is confirmation that the Inuit are managing the polar bear in a very responsible manner and that the world agrees with us, and it’s a proud moment for the Inuit,” Audla said after the vote. Read more about the vote on Nunatsiaqonline.ca. (PHOTO COURTESY OF ITK)