Labrador Inuit celebrate land claim / self gov't agreement

[www.nunatsiavut.com]

House of Commons Passes Self Government Legislation for Labrador Inuit

Labrador Inuit self-government will be called the Nunatsiavut Government

News and Comment
by Tehaliwaskenhas
Bob Kennedy, Oneida
Copyright
Turtle Island Native Network
http://www.turtleisland.org

June 15, 2005

The Labrador Inuit Land Claim and Self Government Act received third and final reading and was passed in the House of Commons today.

One of the politicians using superlatives to describe the accomplishment, Pat Martin, the NDP MP for Winnipeg called it a greater achievement than landing a man on the moon.

That may not be so far fetched, when you consider how long it has taken the Inuit to arrive at such a milestone, and the efforts needed to bridge the political differences, that often may have portrayed the negotiating parties as worlds apart.

The claim was filed in 1977 and negotiations toward its settlement began in 1988.

A year ago Labrador Inuit voted overwhelmingly in support of the Agreement. It sets out details of land ownership, resource sharing, and self-government. The Agreement provides for the establishment of the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area totaling about 72,500 square kilometres /28,000 square miles in northern Labrador and 48,690 square kilometres /18,800 square miles of sea. Labrador Inuit will not own this land, but will have special rights related to traditional land use.

Within the Settlement Area, Labrador Inuit will own 15,800 square kilometres /6,100 square miles designated as Labrador Inuit Lands.

The Agreement also provides for the establishment of the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve, consisting of about 9,600 square kilometres /3,700 square miles of land within the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area.

The Agreement will be protected as a treaty under the Canadian Constitution.

It will define the relationship between Labrador Inuit and their ancestral lands, and pave the way for Labrador Inuit self-government, to be called the Nunatsiavut Government.

There are more than 5,300 Labrador Inuit who live in Northern Labrador, other parts of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador and across Canada.

This is the last outstanding Inuit Land Claim Agreement in Canada.

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January 22, 2005

Labrador Inuit celebrate land claim / self-government agreement signing - also path laid out for creation of a new national park . . .
http://www.turtleisland.org/discussion/ ... =4927#4927

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Historic land claim/self government agreement is the result of almost 30 years of hard work by the Labrador Inuit Association!

News and Comment
by Tehaliwaskenhas
Bob Kennedy,Oneida

Copyright
Turtle Island Native Network
http://www.turtleisland.org

May 27, 2004

The final Labrador Inuit Land Claim Agreement has been ratified. Overall, 76.4 per cent said Yes.

The agreement includes, Land and Non-Renewable Resources - Water Management and Inuit Water Rights - Ocean Management - Economic Development - Voisey's Bay Area-National Parks and Protected Areas - Land Use Planning - Environmental Assessment - Wildlife and Plants - Fisheries - Harvesting Compensation - Archaeology, Inuit Cultural Materials, Inuit Burial Sites and Human Remains - Place Names - Labrador Inuit Self-Government - Fiscal Financing Agreements - Capital Transfers - Taxation - Dispute Resolution

"The Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement is a blueprint for the future, one that needs to be lifted off the page and translated into actions, policies and structures. The Agreement represents the dedication, passion and hard work of leaders, negotiators and tireless volunteers," said William Andersen III, President of the Labrador Inuit Association.

Now that Labrador Inuit have ratified the Agreement, it has to be ratified by the federal and provincial governments before it can pass into legislation. Once this occurs, the Labrador Inuit Land Claim Agreement will become law.

The Nunatsiavut Government will not be established immediately.

http://www.nunatsiavut.com

Labrador Inuit will have a transition period, during which LIA’s Board and Executive will act as the transitional government.

Once ready, elections will be held to form the Nunatsiavut Government.

The Labrador Inuit Association represents over 5,300 Labrador Inuit who live in Northern Labrador, other parts of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador and across Canada.

This is the last outstanding Inuit Land Claim Agreement in Canada.

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More . . .

LANDS

The quantity of lands in the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area is 28,000 square miles (72,520 square kilometres). The Labrador Inuit Settlement Area includes, in addition, adjacent tidal waters of Canada’s territorial
sea comprising an ocean area of approximately 18,800 square miles (48,690 square kilometres). Included in the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area is an area of the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve of Canada. The Labrador Inuit Settlement Area also includes Labrador Inuit Lands and the Inuit Communities but does not include the Voisey’s Bay Area or the Donner discovery area. Labrador Inuit Lands make up 6,100 square miles (15,799 square kilometres) in the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area. Within Labrador Inuit Lands are Specified Material Lands which make up 1,525 square miles (3,950 square kilometres) where Inuit will have exclusive rights to quarry materials including dimension stone. In addition Inuit will have the exclusive right to carving stone everywhere in Labrador Inuit Lands. Some Labrador Inuit Lands (about 1.77 square miles or 4.58 square kilometres) are within the boundaries of the Inuit Communities. Under the chapter on Inuit Self-Government any vacant land within the Inuit Communities will be owned by the Inuit Community Governments. All lands that are covered by fresh water within the boundaries of Labrador Inuit Lands are included in Labrador Inuit Lands. Inuit will own a number of water lots that extend out under the ocean and make up 22.25 square miles (57.62 square kilometres) of Labrador Inuit Land. Labrador Inuit Lands do not include any land within the boundaries of Labrador Inuit Lands that is owned by third parties. If a third party is leasing the land from the Crown, the land will become Labrador Inuit Lands but the lease will continue and can be renewed.

MORE
http://www.nunatsiavut.com/en/agreementsummary.php

[Labrador Inuit]

Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement Signed

NAIN, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR, Jan. 22, 2005

Today, at a signing ceremony in Nain, Newfoundland and Labrador, representatives from the Labrador Inuit Association (LIA), Government of Canada, and Government of Newfoundland and Labrador signed the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement (Agreement). Representing the LIA was President William Andersen III.

Representing the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador were the Premier, the Honourable Danny Williams and the Honourable Tom Rideout, Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs. Representing the Government of Canada was the Honourable Andy Scott, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians.

The occasion represents the successful conclusion of 28 years of work by
the parties, which began in 1977 with the filing of a statement of claim by
the LIA. This Agreement provides the Labrador Inuit with defined rights in and to territory in northern Labrador.

The Agreement, a modern-day treaty, is the first of its kind in Atlantic
Canada.

President of the Labrador Inuit Association, William Andersen III, said,
"The Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement will bring real and meaningful
benefits to all of us - Labrador Inuit, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and all Canadians. It provides for certainty and rights and creates clarity for the future. It will allow us to build on the partnerships we have begun to work toward sustainable development, economic growth and social justice."

Minister Scott said, "The first modern day treaty in Atlantic Canada
marks the opening of a new era of partnership between the Inuit of Labrador, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Canada. Not only will this Agreement provide certainty over land use and title, it will offer a host of opportunities for economic development for Inuit and non-Inuit alike. The Inuit of Labrador now have the tools to build their own government and take greater control of decisions affecting their communities, forging a brighter future for themselves."

Premier Williams said, "The signing of this agreement, the first land
claims agreement to be finalized in Newfoundland and Labrador is an historic occasion for Labrador Inuit, the province and the entire nation.

This agreement will bring clarity to land ownership and the management of
resources, allowing Labrador Inuit to further pursue economic development opportunities consistent with their cultural values. Settling this land claims agreement will create a stable environment for investment benefitting Labrador Inuit and all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is proud to enter into this new relationship with Labrador Inuit and the Government of Canada."

Minister Rideout said, "This government was proud to pass the Labrador
Inuit Land Claims Agreement Act in last fall's sitting of the House of
Assembly, and today marks another important milestone in bringing life to the treaty. The self-government provisions of this agreement will enable Labrador Inuit to build healthier communities by setting their own priorities and designing their own programs and services to better meet the needs of their people. They will be able to set their own path to the future and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is proud to support Labrador Inuit as they move to this new part of their history."

The Labrador Inuit Association represents approximately 5,300 Inuit and
Kablunangajuit (individuals of partial Inuit ancestry) who live primarily in
five coastal communities (Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik, Postville and Rigolet) and the Upper Lake Melville area of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Agreement sets out details of land ownership, resource sharing and
self-government. The Agreement provides for the establishment of the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area (Settlement Area) totalling approximately 72,500 square kilometres (28,000 square miles) of land in northern Labrador, including 15,800 square kilometres (6,100 square miles) of Inuit-owned lands, known as Labrador Inuit Lands. The Settlement Area also includes an adjacent Ocean Zone of 48,690 square kilometres (18,800 square miles). The Agreement also provides for the establishment of the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve, consisting of approximately 9,600 square kilometres (3,700 square miles) of land within the Settlement Area.

Under the Agreement, the Government of Canada will transfer $140 million to the Labrador Inuit, as well as $156 million for implementation of the Agreement.

The self-government provisions of the Agreement provide for the creation
of the Nunatsiavut Government, five Inuit community governments and Inuit community corporations to represent Inuit living outside the Settlement Area.

All levels of government will be democratically elected and financially
accountable to the electorate. The Nunatsiavut Government will be able to make laws applicable to Inuit in Labrador Inuit Lands and Inuit communities with respect to culture and language, education, health and social services. The Nunatsiavut Government may also make laws for the administration of Inuit law and to establish necessary enforcement structures, including an Inuit law enforcement agency and an Inuit court.

Additional agreements among the Labrador Inuit, Newfoundland and
Labrador, and Canada will provide for key programs and services such as health care, education and other social programs and services to be delivered by the Nunatsiavut Government to all residents in each of the five Inuit communities.

On May 26, 2004, 76 per cent of the Inuit voted in favour of the
Agreement, with a voter turnout of 86 percent.

The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly passed ratification
legislation enacting the Agreement on December 6, 2004. The Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement Act received Royal Assent the same day.

Federal ratification legislation for the Agreement is being prepared for
introduction to Parliament.

This news release, backgrounder, milestones and highlights of the
Agreement and the Agreement are available on the Internet at:

www.nunatsiavut.com

www.inac.gc.ca

www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2005/laa_n2005.htm

Backgrounder

The Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement

A comprehensive land claims agreement is a modern treaty that provides an Aboriginal group with clearly defined land, resources and self-government rights. Land claims agreements receive constitutional protection.

The Labrador Inuit claim Aboriginal rights and title in and to territory
in northern Labrador and northeastern Quebec. The Labrador Inuit never signed an historic treaty with the British Crown or, until now, a modern treaty or a land claims agreement with the Government of Canada or the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Comprehensive land claims negotiations proceed through a series of
stages: Framework Agreement, Agreement-in-Principle, Final Agreement and Implementation. In November 1990, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Canada and the Labrador Inuit Association (LIA) satisfied the first stage by signing a Framework Agreement that set out the process and subjects for negotiation. The parties signed the Labrador Inuit Agreement-in-Principle (AIP) in June 2001. The AIP formed the basis for negotiation of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement (the Agreement). Negotiation of the Agreement concluded with its initialling on August 29, 2003.

Except for any Aboriginal rights that the Labrador Inuit may have in
lands and waters in a defined area of northeastern Quebec and adjacent marine areas, the Agreement constitutes a final settlement of the Aboriginal rights of the Labrador Inuit in Canada, and exhaustively sets out the rights of the Labrador Inuit that are recognized and confirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. Certainty about ownership of the land and how the land will be managed will provide a stable environment for development and investment. Settlement of the land claim will promote the long-term economic and social development of the province and contribute to the self-sufficiency and the economic, social, cultural and political development of the Labrador Inuit.

In addition to the Agreement, the parties have concluded a number of
associated agreements, including: an Implementation Plan, a Fiscal Financing Agreement, an Own-Source Revenue Agreement, a Tax Treatment Agreement and a Land Appendix.

Canada and LIA have negotiated a Park Impacts and Benefits Agreement related to the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve. Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador have also negotiated a land transfer agreement by which the land will be transferred to Canada for the purposes of creating the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve.

The August 2003 initialling of the Agreement by the chief negotiators for
each party signified the beginning of the Inuit ratification process. A
Ratification Committee was established, comprising Inuit, provincial and
federal government appointees, and an independent chairperson. The Committee was responsible for developing the Official Voters List for the Inuit vote, assuring that all prospective voters had an opportunity to be fully informed and then conducting the ratification vote for the Agreement. On May 26, 2004 the Labrador Inuit voted 76 per cent in support of the Agreement, with an 86.5 per cent voter turnout.

Members of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly passed
provincial legislation on December 6, 2004 to give effect to the Labrador
Inuit Land Claims Agreement Act. The Act received Royal Assent the same day.

Federal legislation to give effect to the Agreement is being prepared for
introduction in Parliament.

The Agreement will come into effect on a date to be determined by
legislation.

For further information: Media contacts: LIA, Jennifer Daly,
(709) 753-0794; INAC, Diane Laursen, INAC Media Relations, (819) 994-2044; Elizabeth Matthews, Premier's Office, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, (709) 729-3960 or (709) 690-5500; Lori Lee Oates, Aboriginal Affairs, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, (709) 729-3015 or (709) 690-8403
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Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Labrador Inuit Association Sign Agreements to Establish Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve

NAIN, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR,
Jan. 22, 2005

The Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of the Environment, Honourable Danny Williams, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Honourable Tom Osborne, provincial Minister of Environment and Conservation, and William Andersen III, President of the Labrador Inuit Association (LIA), today signed two agreements that set the stage for Canada's 42nd national park - and the first ever in Labrador - to be officially established later this year.

Along with the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement that was also signed
in Nain today, the two agreements will ensure the long-term protection and
conservation of a spectacular area representing northern Labrador's arctic
wilderness in the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve of Canada. They will also lead to new economic and employment opportunities for Inuit businesses and people in the region.

"With today's agreements, we are protecting a unique part of Canada that
is home to polar bears, caribou and a unique population of tundra-dwelling
black bears, along with breathtaking fjords and rugged mountains," said
Minister Dion. "The establishment of the Torngat Mountains National Park
Reserve of Canada will ensure that this spectacular area is preserved in its
natural state for all Canadians to experience and enjoy. It offers visitors an exceptional opportunity to experience the Arctic landscape and environment."

"This park will create new ecomomic opportunities for Labrador Inuit and
Labrador Inuit businesses," said the Honourable R. John Efford, Minister of
Natural Resources. "It is part of a broader agreement and partnership that
will allow the sustainable development and use of the region's resources,
while protecting its environment and providing economic returns to the
Nunatsiavut Government, the Labrador Inuit and Labradorians."

The Memorandum of Agreement for a National Park Reserve in the Torngat Mountains, signed by Minister Dion on behalf of Canada and by Premier Williams and Minister Osborne on behalf of Newfoundland and Labrador, sets out the terms and conditions by which the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has agreed to transfer the administration and control of the lands set aside to establish the national park reserve to Canada.

"The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is extremely pleased to sign an agreement that will see the creation of the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve, ensuring the protection and conservation of this region's superb and untouched wilderness," said Premier Williams. "The National Park Reserve will become one of the province's prime destinations for eco-tourism opportunities and raise the profile of the area, nationally and internationally. The reserve will also bring economic benefits to the region and play an important role in improving the social and economic well being of the Labrador Inuit and the people of Labrador."

"The gift of such an extraordinary area of arctic wilderness to the
people of this province, to the people of Canada and the world, through the establishment of the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve, is an event to be celebrated," said Minister Osborne. "The province is committed to protecting representative portions of our distinctive natural heritage. This natural heritage is part of who we are - our past, our present and, indeed, essential to our future. We should all be proud of what has been accomplished today."

The Labrador Inuit Park Impacts and Benefits Agreement, signed by
Minister Dion on behalf of Canada and by President Andsersen on behalf of LIA, formalizes the ongoing relationship between Parks Canada and the Labrador Inuit. It ensures that the national park reserve will highlight the Inuit's unique relationship with the land and its natural ecosystems, and includes provisions that will allow Inuit to continue traditional land and resource uses within the park reserve.

This agreement, which is required as part of the Labrador Inuit Land
Claims Agreement process, also establishes a framework for the cooperative management of the park reserve by Parks Canada and the Inuit.

"Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve is a fitting symbol of the
overlapping values that bind us all together as Canadians," said LIA President Andersen. "We have created a lasting legacy for all Canadians, made possible through trust, mutual respect and a deep understanding of Labrador Inuit values and traditions. It is truly a gift to us all."

Establishing the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve of Canada is a
key step in the completion of the Government of Canada's five-year Action Plan to Protect Canada's Natural Heritage. Under the plan, Parks Canada and the Government will establish ten new national parks of Canada and five new national marine conservation areas of Canada, as well as expand three existing national parks. Two of the new parks, the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve of Canada (in British Columbia) and Ukkusiksalik National Park of Canada (in Nunavut), were established in 2003.

It is anticipated that the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve of
Canada will be formally established when the federal legislation that gives
effect to the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement is enacted.

For further information: Emma Orawiec, Press Secretary, Office of the
Minister of the Environment, (819) 997-1441; Sonia B. Glover, Director of
Communications, Department of Environment and Conservation Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, (709) 729-2575; Kevin McNamee, Director, Park Establishment Branch, Parks Canada, (819) 997-4908; Jennifer Daly, Communications, Labrador Inuit Association, (709) 753-0794, ext. 27; (Also available on the Internet at www.pc.gc.ca under What's new.)