Beware of Kivalliq road

As an American who has visited the Kivalliq region, I find it hard to understand the rationale behind a road from Churchill to Arviat.

One only needs to look to the Yukon and Northwest Territories to see the permanent effects a road has on the wildlife populations and cultural practices of the people of the area.

In the NWT, where major roads such as the Dempster and Mackenzie highways have provided links to the outside world, wildlife populations are negatively affected by large-scale road hunting practices.

Rather then keep cultural customs of living with the land intact, roads put more of a focus on “trips” to the South, the accumulation of material goods and partying.

Some would say that as an American I don’t know anything about living in the North. Maybe that’s true.

I do know much about living in the South, though and I would eagerly trade the luxuries and conveniences I have for a life where the focus is not on money and the accumulation of wealth.

For the most part, land down here is not respected. It is looked upon as a source of profit.

Brian Fredericksen
Minnesota, USA
Brian@amesfarm.com