Is NTI irresponsibly endorsing uranium mines?

If James Eetoolook, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.’s vice-president, feels he is informed enough about uranium mining by visiting existing uranium mines in northern Saskatchewan and to support NTI’s uranium policy for peaceful and responsible uranium for nuclear power, this gives me the courage to state my concerns because I, too attended a uranium hearing in Salzburg, Austria in 1992 that was attended by representatives from over 30 countries that were negatively affected by uranium mining and the uranium industry.

In late 1980s, I founded the Baker Lake Concerned Citizen’s Committee to oppose the Kiggavik uranium mine near our community.

The committee expanded to include regional and territorial communities under the name of the Northern Anti-Uranium Coalition or “NAUK.”

We worked very closely with well-informed (on uranium mining and its by-products) experts, including people like: Dr. Rosalie Bertell, president, International Institute of Concern for Public Health; Dr. Gordon Edwards, chairman, Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility; Dr. Robert Del Tredici, author of At Work in the Fields of the Bomb; and Dr. Jim Harding for all kinds of questions we wanted answers to.

It’s been almost 15 years since we struggled with our concerns. We made a difference, because of the unity we built. It included Inuit and non-Inuit living in the region, people outside the region, people who earn their living from the land and people who go to the office.

I am not as active as 15 years ago. It’s not because my concerns have ceased, or that uranium mining is now less dangerous.

It’s just that I feel so defeated when powerful people like James Eetoolook, and NTI who are supposed to protect our rights and our livelihood, as stated in their mission statement, irresponsibly endorse uranium mines, without first consulting with the people, mainly the beneficiaries.

To me it is so unethical and uninformed for the NTI to tell the uranium industry that they support it for peaceful and responsible use. It’s just like someone telling me to use the box of 22-250 only to get caribou, hoping I will obey.

It is us beneficiaries and the millions of dollars from the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement that gives NTI the power to make decisions. What about NTI excluding the protection of the caribou herds and its habitats in their uranium policy? How irresponsible can they get?

I urge the concerned Nunavummiut, especially beneficiaries, to create unity and establish a committee if they have concerns about uranium mining. This is no longer a Baker Lake concern. The Kitikmeot is now facing the same concerns we had.

Unlike 15 years ago, today we have the means of technology to communicate and to get the information we want.

They were children 15 years ago and we worked hard to speak for them and today they approach me and send me copies of their concerns about uranium mining.

Young people can control their future and they can search and get all the information they need through the Internet, and they can calculate exactly who is going to benefit from uranium mining and balance out the negative affects it’s going to have on the environment and wildlife.

Fifteen years ago they called us “radicals,” or said that we were using scare tactics, or making statements just based on emotions. Today, we can make informed decisions.

James Eetoolook and NTI should not have to make decisions for us unless we request their support.

Joan Scottie
Baker Lake