We need to protect Nunavut’s caribou nurseries

Most of the caribou herds hunted by Inuit, Dene, Métis and Cree have their calving grounds in Nunavut. The Nunavut Planning Commission’s draft Nunavut land use plan aims at designating these as protected areas. (FILE PHOTO)

Most of Canada’s barren-ground caribou herds are in a perilous state, some having declined more than 95 per cent from historic highs.

Barren-ground caribou numbers go up and down as part of their natural cycle. However, the last time the herds were approaching natural population lows, the North was a much different place than it is now.

New and expanding threats from climate change, proposals for increased levels of industrial development and a growing human presence with access to new technology across the North make the recovery of these herds anything but certain.

Biologists and traditional knowledge holders agree that one of the most important steps we can take to help maintain healthy herds and encourage the recovery of declining herds is to protect calving grounds from disturbance.

Nunavummiut responsible for key decisions

Many barren-ground caribou herds use habitat in more than one territory or province during their seasonal migrations each year.

Still, almost every major herd has their calving grounds in Nunavut. The responsibility to ensure that these caribou nurseries are protected so the herds can remain strong for the Inuit, Dene, Metis and Cree people that depend on them rests firmly on the shoulders of Nunavummiut.

The Nunavut Planning Commission, despite recent revelations, has been developing a land use plan for years with Nunavummiut, which is now in the final stage of review.

In its current state, the plan does not propose creating any new permanent national or territorial parks, but includes protected areas that would keep new industrial development out of core caribou calving and post-calving areas, at least over the short-term (the plan will be up for review again in five years.)

There are more than 241,000 square kilometres of land identified as having high mineral potential in Nunavut. Seventy-five per cent of this land is outside of the protected areas proposed for caribou calving and post-calving habitat in the Nunavut Land Use Plan.

Protecting these crucial caribou habitats would mean only 25 per cent of Nunavut’s high mineral-potential areas would be off-limits because of caribou. This seems like a small price to pay to support the continuing prosperity of Canada’s barren-ground herds and the Indigenous cultures that depend on them.

NTI election candidates: What is their position on calving ground protection?

As the Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. presidential election approaches, all candidates should make public their views on caribou habitat-based protection in the Nunavut Land Use Plan.

The next president will lead NTI through the approval process for the land use plan. If you are not aware of a candidate’s position on protecting caribou calving grounds and post-calving areas, you should ask them!

Survey shows northerners want calving grounds protected

A recent survey conducted by Environics on behalf of World Wildlife Fund Canada polled over 150 respondents spread equally across Nunavut, Yukon and Northwest Territories.

Respondents were asked whether they supported or opposed making caribou calving grounds in Canada’s North fully protected areas that do not allow industrial development such as oil and gas or mining exploration and development.

Respondents were also asked to identify their cultural identity, to ensure the sample was representative of the Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples of Canada’s North.

Of those surveyed, 77 per cent strongly supported protecting caribou calving grounds, and a further 12 per cent said they somewhat supported full protection.

The few remaining responses (11 per cent) were spread equally between somewhat opposing and strongly opposing full protection.

When asked why they supported such protections, the top three factors cited by respondents were: concerns about caribou population declines (53 per cent); caribou as an important source of food and clothing for the people of the North (29 per cent); and the importance of protecting northern cultures and ways of life (15 per cent).

These survey results are consistent with positions on calving ground protection that have been stated by numerous organizations representing Indigenous caribou harvesters across the caribou ranges, like the three Nunavut regional wildlife boards, the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, many Kivalliq Hunters and Trappers Organizations, the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq Caribou Management Board, the Dene Nation, the NWT and Tlicho governments, two NWT renewable resources boards, and other Dene and Metis organizations from the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

However, the strong public support shown in the survey about protecting key caribou habitats is also in stark contrast to the Government of Nunavut cabinet’s closed-door decision to reverse a long-standing position to protect calving grounds.

Since March 2016 the GN has opposed any sort of caribou habitat protection that involves designation of protected areas, a decision made without any public consultation.

Territorial elections will likely happen in a year. Make sure you ask all candidates where they stand on protecting calving grounds and other important caribou habitats.

Political leadership is needed

The minerals in the ground aren’t going to vanish. However, if we do not protect caribou calving grounds from disturbance, some herds risk disappearing or remaining at such low numbers that herd behaviour may change and ongoing harvest will not be sustainable.

The vast herds of caribou moving across the landscape that have been so important to so many Canadians may be relegated to the history books.

Evidence shows that people want the most important habitats of these herds protected, but where is the political leadership?

To date, it seems our leaders are willing to risk the future health of herds that northerners have depended on for generations, and to put the future of Indigenous cultures at risk as well. It is time that voters called them on it.

Earl Evans
Chair of the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq Caribou Management Board

Alex Ishalook,
Chair of the Arviat Hunters and Trappers Organization
Member of the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq Caribou Management Board

Barnie Aggark
Chair of the Chesterfield Inlet Hunters and Trappers Organization

Paul Crowley
VP Arctic, WWF-Canada

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