INTO THE CANADIAN WILDERNESS NORTH OF 60. Vicki Sahanatien Parks Canada - Nunavut Field Unit Iqaluit, NU Canada

Transcription

1 INTO THE CANADIAN WILDERNESS NORTH OF 60 Vicki Sahanatien Parks Canada - Nunavut Field Unit Iqaluit, NU Canada

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5

6 6

7 7

8 Challenge 1: Canadian Wilderness? Little public discourse in Canada on wilderness policy, legislation and wildlands management Limited or no agreement on what values are represented and can be protected by wilderness areas Result Incorporating wilderness values into land management decisions difficult Parks Canada has few guidelines for managing wilderness Result 2 Reluctance to designate wilderness areas in national parks Global Wilderness Seminar 8

9 9

10 Challenge 2: Non-renewable Resource Development Canada s north is a huge storehouse mineral, oil, & gas Exploration Temporal Change claim stakes, cairns, landing strips, fuel caches, air craft activity, camps, seismic lines Development Permanent Change roads (seasonal, all season), rail, pipelines, ports, mine infrastructure, processing Wilderness Values are not often voiced in Environmental Assessment processes Global Wilderness Seminar 10

11 11

12 12

13 13

14 Challenge 3: Changing Societies People Under Stress Aboriginal people (Inuit and First Nations) are experiencing extreme social and cultural stresses Transition to town life, education system, wage economy, multi-national interests Immediate pressures to deal with suicide, basic health care, substance abuse, and crime Difficult to respond to long range land use planning and immediate land use decisions Compromises aboriginal peoples futures renewable resources are essential Global Wilderness Seminar 14

15 Vital Statistics Canada s North Population: YK( 31,371), NWT (42,040), NU (29,357) Official Languages Yukon: English, French NWT: Chipewyan, Cree, Dogrib, Gwich in, Slavey, Inukitut, English, French Nunavut: Inuktitut, English, French Economy: government, services, tourism, outfitting, subsistence, arts and crafts, mining, oil and gas Global Wilderness Seminar 15

16 16

17 17

18 Solutions 1: Legislative Frameworks & Strategies Land claim agreements create frameworks and processes for power sharing, consultation & decision making. Aboriginal people can use these agreements to protect their interests protect wildlands for future Some land claims give specific direction on protection of wilderness within national parks Protected areas strategies (NWT complete, YK working document, NU not started) and long term land use plans Global Wilderness Seminar 18

19 Solution 2: Honour & Perpetuate Aboriginal Land and Ocean Use Land and ocean management agencies support and encourage continued traditional use of wildlands Aboriginal cultures are intricately tied to land, sea and the resources used As long as people remain connected to their homelands it will remain imperative to protect wilderness values The land takes care of us, we take care of the land Example: Parks Canada Inuit Knowledge Project Example: Park Management Committees Global Wilderness Seminar 19

20 20

21 21

22 22

23 Solution 3: Parks Canada Creates Public Discourse on Wilderness PC is the only federal department that is legislated (Canada National Parks Act) to protect and manage wilderness Ecological Integrity Panel (1999) identified lack of action to declare wilderness in any national parks Progress since 1999 PC developed internal action plan Wilderness areas declared in national parks All revised and new management plans must consider wilderness PC is in position to initiate and guide public discussion on wilderness and develop a Canadian Wilderness Policy Global Wilderness Seminar 23

24 AREA STATISTICS Canadian Northern National Parks Territory Total NP Area km2 % Area of Territory Nunavut (ANP, SNP, QNP, UNP) 99, % NWT (ANP, TNNP, NNPR, WB) 44, % Yukon (INP, VNP, KNPR) 36, % TOTAL 180, % % AREA NORTHERN NPS AS FUNCTION OF ALL CANADIAN NPS 65% Global Wilderness Seminar 24

25 Future Canadian Contribution to Wilderness and Wildlands People in Wilderness: Guidelines, Policy, Legislation Sustain cultures, wilderness values, and ecosystem values Incorporate wilderness values using indigenous peoples cosmology and language Global Wilderness Seminar 25

26 26

27 27