Inuit Frozen out of Arctic Summit – Aboriginal Leaders Not Happy – February 17, 2010

Chelsea Quebec will be the setting for regional summit of Arctic nations.   Canada, Denmark, Norwar Russia, and the U.S. will be attending.    Inuit?  Nope.  LINK

“The Arctic gathering, scheduled just ahead of a G8 foreign ministers’ meeting in Ottawa, is aimed at encouraging “new thinking on economic development and environmental protection,” Cannon said.

But the Inuit Circumpolar Council — representing Inuit from Canada, Greenland, Alaska and Russia — and the Yukon-based Arctic Athabaskan Council have objected to the summit’s exclusive guest list, arguing their leaders should have a seat at the table.

“We don’t see Northern Canada, particularly Arctic indigenous peoples, attending and contributing,” the AAC’s international chairman Bill Erasmus said in a statement.

Sounds like an economic summit more than anything else.   Shouldn’t the residents of the area participate when there is an organization that represents them?

What do you think Canada?  Feel free to post your comments below.

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2 Comments

  1. Though I know that the restaurants in and around Chelsea are quite gourmet, I’m sure they wouldn’t be able to satisfy the Inuit diet. Was that taken into consideration? I think all of the Arctic indigenous peoples should attend the meeting or be represented. After all, the meeting IS ABOUT THEM !!!

  2. Not to worry, considering the fine history Canada has representing the interests of native people and all.

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