What’s in the new parks deal?

IQALUIT — The Inuit impact and benefits agreement between the federal government and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association is a 70-page document outlining who will manage and benefits from three new national parks in Nunavut.

It also seets out schedules for developing the parks and the organizations that will run them.

The agreement says, among other things:

The federal government will make a one-time grant of $3 million to the Kakivak Association to provide Inuit in communities adjacent to the parks (especially Grise Fiord, Arctic Bay and Qikiqtarjuak) to take advantage of economic opportunities related to the parks.
Inuit have the right to occupy existing outpost camps in the park
Inuit have the right to collect and remove carving stone.
Parks Canada will manage archeological sites in the parks.
A $200,000 scholarship fund will be set up to help Inuit studying fields such as traditional knowledge, environmental technology, business management and others
Joint park management committees (JPMCs) will be formed for each park to advise on policy in the parks.
The JPMCs will each have six memebers — three appointed by the Heritage minister and three appointed by the QIA
JPMC meetings will be open to the public, but the meetings can be closed to deal with “issues of a sensitive nature.” As well, the initial advice of the committees to the minister responsible for parks is not to be made public, although, in the event of a disagreement, the advice can be made public.
JPMC meetings will be conducted in Inuktitut, English and French.
Every year, Parks Canada will enter into seperate contribution agreements with each JPMC.
A part-time secretariat consisting of one person will provide all three JPMCs with administrative and logistical services.
There will be community consultation on any research conducted in the parks
Inuit researchers “where reasonable” will get free rides on Parks Canada charter flights or in Parks Canada vehicles
Information about the parks will be available in Inuktitut.
JPMCs will be consulted on any promotional or information materials about the parks.
Information about the parks will include lists of Inuit business and services in adjacent communities.
Inuit will get the first crack at parks jobs.