March 9, 2023 – Ottawa, Ontario
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami has released a national Inuit position paper to guide future policies and programs governing the marine environments of Inuit Nunangat.
The Oceans We Share: Inuit Nunangat Marine Policy Priorities and Recommendations is a deliverable under ITK’s 2020-2023 Strategy and Action Plan and represents extensive research and consultation by the National Inuit Marine Committee.
This position paper identifies the marine issues affecting Inuit communities, including shipping impacts, safety and security, the marine infrastructure deficit and research and monitoring. It outlines Inuit policy positions and recommendations based on our right to determine our future as a marine people.
“We must act now to protect and sustainably manage our coastal and marine environments and address the debilitating impact of our largely non-existent marine infrastructure in the face of these changes,” said Natan Obed, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.
“Inuit land claim agreements, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Inuit Nunangat Policy – which recognizes our homeland as a distinct region encompassing more than 70 per cent of Canada’s coastline – all affirm that our interdependence on our marine environment must be recognized and protected through sound marine decision-making, rooted in reconciliation principles.”
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Click below to read The Oceans We Share: Inuit Nunangat Marine Policy Priorities and Recommendations
