Building partnerships: A story from Cambridge Bay

Transcript

[ James Panioyak (read in Inuinnaqtun, subtitles in English): ]

I’ve been living in Cambridge Bay for most of my life. And every year, we see more and more ships come through.

We are stewards of the land. We must make sure the ships on our waters respect us, our land, and the wildlife around us.

Our community depends on caribou for food security. Years ago, when the caribou were abundant, they would migrate to the east side of the Island to wait for freeze up. When it was safe to cross, the caribou would migrate to the mainland.

In 2015 a hunter crossed to the mainland following their migration. Days later an ice breaker went right through the path the caribou and the hunter had taken. If the vessel had come through a day earlier, the hunter would have been cut off and stuck until the ice refroze and was safe to cross to get safely home.

Stories like this remind us of the importance of this work – to make sure our hunters and wildlife are safe. But it’s not just ice breaking we’re concerned about.

We’re concerned about oil spills, and other discharge, like ballast water, that ships bring up from down south and dump here. This discharge could bring invasive species that compete with our local animals.

There is vessel wake, that can impact the erosion of shorelines over time, and disturb animals that are resting or calving on the shore.

We are also concerned about underwater noise from the big ships coming through, and how that interferes with the ability of our marine animals to feed, hear, and communicate with each other.

We must address all these concerns to protect our land and way of life. That’s a big part of why we have the EHTO.

We’re here to help hunters and harvesters preserve our food security and continue acting as stewards for our lands.

The late John Maksagak used to say, “we are stewards of the land and the water, whatever the land provides we depend on”. And that’s why the EHTO became part of the Victoria Island Waterway Safety Committee.

The committee brings together local organizations – some old ones that have been around since the 70s, and some new ones helping with programs for the community – along with outside partners like Transport Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard, and Oceans North.

We talk about projects related to marine shipping and safety that need collective input and discussion, and everyone is in the room to hear each others viewpoint. It’s a place to bring our big picture concerns, share concerns from Inuit across the North, and have them heard.

Our communication with vessels from outside our community has really improved from the relationships we are building. This is even more important now because of the unpredictable weather due to climate change.

Our hunters need to know where to find safe harbours. And our traditional archaeological sites and artifacts need protection from vessels like cruise ships that are exploring.

Through the committee we can make plans with our partners to map these areas, so local hunters have the information they need, and outside vessels know where not to go.

We can coordinate training with our hunters on how to use modern technology that track their locations while on the water, to make sure they’re safe.

In an emergency, our hunters and community members will be the first on the scene. They need to know how best to respond. We can coordinate this kind of training through the committee too.

The committee is a good place to develop opportunities for young people to get hands-on observation and training through oral histories and cultural components, and with technologies such as underwater hydrophones and drones.

[ Paula Doucette (read in English, subtitles in Inuinnaqtun): ]

Hearing from the Committee and community members about their lived experiences and how their community is being affected is critical to the success of this work and our understanding of how vessel traffic is impacting the northern shores of Canada and its communities.

The discussions at the Victoria Island Waterway Safety Committee table are driven by community concerns.

The two things we hear most often are the need for better communication between all parties, and the need for collaborative decision making at all stages.

Through the support of the Federal Oceans Protection Plan, we have been able to work together with Indigenous and Coastal communities like Cambridge Bay.

To bring together knowledge from coast, to coast, to coast. To include various types of data when looking at shipping impacts. And to develop relationships that make us better equipped to ensure our oceans are cleaner, healthier, and safer for years to come.

From the community level, throughout the oceans that connect us all.

[ James Panioyak (read in Inuinnaqtun, subtitles in English): ]

We’ve come a long way. Today we’re training young staff involved in all aspects of this work. Including communications with our partners that will help keep the community safe for years to come.

We have learned a lot together through the Oceans Protection Plan, and I am hopeful we will continue to see improvements for future generations.

Inuinnaqtun (spoken) transcript

Ikaluktutiakmi nunaqaqtuttuqauliqtunga nutarauvlunga tahamungarhimayunga.

Aipagutuarangat takunarhivaliayut amigaikpalianginakhutik tikiqataktut ummitjat.

Munarhiiyiuyugut nunaptingnik

Qauyimayagiaqaqtugut hapkua ummitjat pitiariaqaqtut uvaptingnik, nunaptingnik tatvalu angutirhanik avatingni.

Nunaqativut hamani niriuqutiqaqtut tuktunik nikkigivlutjuk nunaqatipta.

Qanganguktuq hapkua tuktuit amigaitpakaluakmata amihuarjuit Kilumuuvalialikpaktut tahamunga kivatanut haffuma Kikiktap Keelinikmi hikkutiyakturhutik tariuqmik.

Hikku nangiaknairangat, tuktuit ikkalikpaktut tatvunga akianut ahiakmut.

Tatvani 2015-mi una anguniaktiuyuq ikkarhimayuq akkianut ahiakmut malirhugit tuktuit ikkarhimayut.

Aqqaguaninguqmat una umiak hikkuhikut tatvunaakpiarhuni tuktuit anguniaktiuyuplu ikkakviarut hikkumi ingilrahimayuq.

Una umiak tikkinariiqat atauhiklunin ublumik, una anguniaktuq ayurhiitqayaqtuq tatvani ahiakmi hikkutiiluni qayangnaiptumik angilrauyami.

Hapkua unipkariyauyut itkautiriqataqtavut hapkua havariyauvaliayut pimariuyut – ihumariyagiaqagaptitku hapkua anguniaktivut angutirhavutlu qayagitiariaqagaptitqu.

Kihianitauq hikkuliqiyuinaungitut ihumaluutigiyavut

Ihumaluutiqarmiyugut urhuqjuanik kuviyuqagangat, ahianiklu hallumailrunik kuviuraqtaugangata, hapkua uqqumaitkutauqataqmata immak umiakmi uuhivlugu, ummitjat taunanga kaplunaat tariunganiit uuhivlutjut kuviuraqataqmatjuk tahamunga tariuptingnut.

Hamna immak kuviuraqtauqataqtuq illaliutiyungnaqmat ahinikmiutanik umayunik hallagiyauyunakmata hamani tariuptini umayunik.

Umiatlu maalingnit hakkugiqamik ihuiyautiyungnaktut nunnat hinaniik kakuguraluq, tatvalu ihuilutauniaqmata angutirhanik unnaguirhiktunik uvalunin tuktunik hinniraqtuniq.

Ihumalutigingmiyavut hamna tariup illuani natqanilu kuingitqutivlugit hapkua angiyut umitjat tahamunaakataktut, tatvalu ihuiyautiginiakmatjuk hapkua angutirhat niriniaqtut, nallaktut, tatvalu tuhaktitiqataqtut avatingnut.

Uvagut uqqautigiyagiaqatavut hapkua ihumaluutivut munarinahuaklugit hapkua nunautivut hamnalu innuhiqqut.   

Taimatuvalaak ukkua Ekaluktutiakmi Anguniaktiit Naniriaqtuqtiit Katimayiit ikkayuqtigiyauluaktut.

Uvagut ikkayurahuakpaktavut hapkua anguniaktivut nikkirhakhiuktut nunaqaqtimingnik huli munarihimaakhutjuk hapkua nunautivut anguniakvigivlugit.

Una huirhimayuttuqauliqtuq John Maksagak uqqalarhimayuq imaatut “ Uvagut munarhiyiuyugut nunaptingnik immautiptingniklu, hamna nunautikput nikkirhaqhiuqvigikaptitqu “
Taimatut ukkua EHTO-kut havakatauliktut tatvani Kiilinikmi Tariungani Qajanaipkutirhaitnik Katimayigalaatni.

Ukkua Katimayigalaat pikatigiiktut nunaliitni timiuyuni – ilangit qangaraaluk tahamaniitutuqauyut 1970-nit ukkiut attuqtitlugit, ilangitauq nutanguvlutik ikkayuqtuiyut havariyauyunik tahamani nunaliitni – havakatigivlugit hilataningaktut ikkayuqtigiyauyut hapkua Ingilgayulikiyiit Kanatami, ukkualu Kanatami Hikkulikiyiit tatvalu Tariuqmiutanik havaqaqtut Ukkiuktaktumi.

Uqqautiqaqpaqtugut havariyauyurhanik tariumi umiitjat aakjakataktitlugit tatvalu qajangnaipkutirhaitnik tamaitnik ihumalutauyunik, katimaqatigiirhuta nallakpaktugut ihumagiyauyunik.

Tatvani katimaqatigiirhuta angiyunik ihumaluutauyunik uqqautiqaqpaqtugut, tuhaktitiqatarhuta Innuqatigiyaptingnik humilikak Ukkiuktaktuqmiuniq, tatvalu nallakparhugit ihumaluutigiyaitnik.

Tuhaktitaiqatarhuta umitjanik hillataniitunik nunapta ikkayutaulikpiaktut havariyumayaptinik.

Tahamna havariyavut piunirhautiktuq hadja hamna hila alangukpaliatitlugu nalunakpiakatalikmat.

Hapkua anguniaktivut qaujimayariaqaqmata qajakturaingumik annuraiqhivikhamingnik naunaitunik.

Hapkualu inniktuqliit uutuqanik pittakaktut munariyauyagiaqaqmata pitailiyauluttik umiaktuqtuniit qinirhiayunit.

Hapkua katimayigalaat ikkayuqtigilugit parnaiqatiginiaktavut ihuarhaiqatigilugit nunauyanik hapkua nunautivut naunaiyaklugit, anguniaktut uppautiqatagiangita ayurhaliraingumik, tatvalu hapkua hillataningaktut ummitjat qauyimaniakmata tahamunga uppautiyagiaqangitut Inuit innituqliitnun.

Ihuarhaiyungnaqtugut ilihautirhaitnik hapkua anguniaktipta aturaqhaitnik tammalaipkutinik kagitauyaralaniklu takkuyauniakmata nanilikmangata qajaktuqtitlugit qajaginahuaklugit.

Uiitayaknaktumiliqata uppalungnaktitlugu hapkua nunaqatait qiniqtiuyutlu hivuliutiniakmata qiniriaqaqata.

Qauyimayagiaqaqmata kanok ikkayuqtailiuliriaqqata uppalungairhimalutik.

Ihuarhaiyungnakmiyugut hapkuninga ilihautirhaitnik ukkua katimayigalaat.

Ukkua katimayigalaat piuyuut uktukvirhat ilihautirhaitnik hapkua inulramiit nalaatiaklutik tautuqlutiklu ilihatiakniakmata unipqariyauvaktunik tatvalu iliitquhiktutauyunik qauyivaliqutigiluvit. Tatvalu ilihautigilugit hapkua tariup natqanitunik qaritauyaraalanik tatvalu hapkuninga inukangitunik tingmiyungnaktunik qungialiurutinik.

Ungahiktumingaaktuttut tahamaniliktugut

Ublumi ilihautivalialiktavut hapkua inulgamiutivut havaktigivlugit hapkuninga tamatkikpaliavlugit havagiyauyut.

Ilaliutivlugu hamna tuhaktitaiqataqniq ikkayuqtigiyaptingnik hapkua ikkayutauniakmata nunaqatigiyapta qajangnaipkutirhaitnik ukkiuni kaiyuni.

Iliitpalirhimaliktugut qauyivaliqatigiirhuta hamna Tariumi Munaritiaqutirhaita Parnaiyautigiyavut atturhugu, niriuqtunga huli illingaiyautirhanik takkuyumayunga atugarhaitnik kinguvaarhapta.