WEBVTT 00:00:00.170 --> 00:00:03.049 Welcome to Drumbeats, the must -listen -to podcast 00:00:03.049 --> 00:00:05.710 which explains why Indigenous partnerships are 00:00:05.710 --> 00:00:08.710 the key to securing successful outcomes in natural 00:00:08.710 --> 00:00:11.050 resource and infrastructure investment in Canada. 00:00:12.990 --> 00:00:15.669 I'm Mark McNacken. My co -hosts Robert Brant 00:00:15.669 --> 00:00:18.809 and I are joined today by Natan Obed, President 00:00:18.809 --> 00:00:23.289 of the Inuit Taprit Kanatami, representing 70 00:00:23.289 --> 00:00:27.190 ,000 Inuit across 40 % of Canada's land area. 00:00:28.109 --> 00:00:30.989 In our conversation, you'll discover why Inuit 00:00:30.989 --> 00:00:33.549 territories control critical infrastructure corridors 00:00:33.549 --> 00:00:36.130 worth billions, learn about the structure partner 00:00:36.130 --> 00:00:38.329 mechanisms that provide investment certainty, 00:00:38.530 --> 00:00:41.250 and understand how multi -billion dollar defense 00:00:41.250 --> 00:00:43.390 and resource projects are creating unprecedented 00:00:43.390 --> 00:00:46.549 opportunities in the Arctic for UK and continental 00:00:46.549 --> 00:00:55.210 European investors. Obed, the president of ITK, 00:00:55.250 --> 00:00:58.710 and I will try to pronounce the Inuit Tapiri 00:00:58.710 --> 00:01:05.469 Kanatimi organization. Very nice of you to join 00:01:05.469 --> 00:01:08.349 us and make some time to talk to us on Drumbeats 00:01:08.349 --> 00:01:13.549 today. Yeah, happy to be here. Yes. Pleasure 00:01:13.549 --> 00:01:18.069 to have you with us, President Natan. Great to 00:01:18.069 --> 00:01:20.799 have someone from the north. And we talk about 00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:23.760 Canada being a northern country. Perhaps you 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:27.879 could tell us a little bit about the background 00:01:27.879 --> 00:01:32.299 and a part of Canada many Canadians don't know 00:01:32.299 --> 00:01:37.959 very well and share the story of Inuit and the 00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:42.819 Indigenous people in the north. Yeah, absolutely. 00:01:44.359 --> 00:01:47.299 As I've been introduced, my name is Natan Obed. 00:01:47.900 --> 00:01:50.219 I've been the president of Inuit Tepperi Kanatmi 00:01:50.219 --> 00:01:54.019 for 10 years now. I'm just ending my third term 00:01:54.019 --> 00:01:57.819 as president here and have been very proud to 00:01:57.819 --> 00:02:02.700 represent Inuit here in Canada or wherever the 00:02:02.700 --> 00:02:06.000 work takes me. There are approximately 70 ,000 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:09.500 Inuit in Canada. Under the Canadian constitution, 00:02:09.919 --> 00:02:13.180 it references three distinct Indigenous peoples, 00:02:13.379 --> 00:02:18.919 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. To a global 00:02:18.919 --> 00:02:21.800 audience or even a Canadian audience, things 00:02:21.800 --> 00:02:24.800 that are very simple for us because we live the 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:28.080 realities of these decisions or these constitutional 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:31.580 arrangements may be something that people have 00:02:31.580 --> 00:02:34.120 not even encountered at all in their life. So 00:02:34.120 --> 00:02:37.860 I always try to start with the very basics, that 00:02:37.860 --> 00:02:39.939 we are one of the three Indigenous peoples of 00:02:39.939 --> 00:02:44.289 Canada. And that means that... We have very different 00:02:44.289 --> 00:02:48.990 realities from a legislative and a policy perspective 00:02:48.990 --> 00:02:52.389 than First Nations and Métis. We do not fall 00:02:52.389 --> 00:02:55.789 under the Indian Act. We are citizens of public 00:02:55.789 --> 00:02:59.069 governments in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, 00:02:59.430 --> 00:03:02.229 Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories. But we 00:03:02.229 --> 00:03:07.580 also have created... our own institutions or 00:03:07.580 --> 00:03:10.800 Inuit treaty organizations. And we have treaties 00:03:10.800 --> 00:03:13.300 with the crown across the entirety of our homeland, 00:03:13.479 --> 00:03:16.219 which we call Inuit Nunangat. And those treaties 00:03:16.219 --> 00:03:21.719 have been signed between 1975 and 2005. The sum 00:03:21.719 --> 00:03:25.139 total of land area is about 40 % of Canada's 00:03:25.139 --> 00:03:27.680 landmass, or approximately 4 million square kilometers, 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:33.530 and 72 % of Canada's coastline. We also... have 00:03:33.530 --> 00:03:37.969 about 32 % of Canada's fresh water within our 00:03:37.969 --> 00:03:41.490 homeland of Inuit Nunangat. Another really interesting 00:03:41.490 --> 00:03:45.090 distinction is that we have within these areas, 00:03:45.409 --> 00:03:49.310 co -management or institutions of public governance, 00:03:49.530 --> 00:03:53.770 where we sit at a table with provinces, with 00:03:53.770 --> 00:03:55.949 territories and the federal government, depending 00:03:55.949 --> 00:04:01.620 upon the area, and co -manage. things like water 00:04:01.620 --> 00:04:05.740 and lands and economic development within the 00:04:05.740 --> 00:04:10.400 entirety of these spaces. So we have a very progressive 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:12.879 relationship with the federal government and 00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:15.520 one that we've worked very hard over the last 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:20.379 50 years to assert our rights. At the national 00:04:20.379 --> 00:04:23.899 level, Inuit Tapir Kanatimi represents the rights 00:04:23.899 --> 00:04:27.699 of Inuit to the federal government and to Canada. 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:31.620 And we work on the basis of consensus and unity. 00:04:32.259 --> 00:04:34.540 We have a board of directors. The presidents 00:04:34.540 --> 00:04:39.660 of each of the four treaty areas sit as the board 00:04:39.660 --> 00:04:44.379 of directors for ITK. And so we can faithfully 00:04:44.379 --> 00:04:48.180 present Canadian positions to the government 00:04:48.180 --> 00:04:52.240 and to the world. That's great background and 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:55.500 helpful, President Dobit. What about your own 00:04:55.500 --> 00:04:58.910 background? Where did you grow up? And what led 00:04:58.910 --> 00:05:01.810 you to the position of president eventually? 00:05:03.670 --> 00:05:07.750 I'm from Nain Nunatsiavut, which is Labrador. 00:05:08.730 --> 00:05:12.709 And I grew up in Labrador, but also in the United 00:05:12.709 --> 00:05:16.189 States. My mother is American. And so I bounced 00:05:16.189 --> 00:05:18.949 back and forth between Labrador and Maine for 00:05:18.949 --> 00:05:23.970 most of my childhood. I also played hockey. So 00:05:23.970 --> 00:05:27.600 I ended up. playing junior hockey in New Hampshire 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:31.240 and Montana in the US and then played at Tufts 00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:35.060 University in Boston before finding my way back 00:05:35.060 --> 00:05:38.920 to Ottawa. I always had the intention of living 00:05:38.920 --> 00:05:41.439 in Canada. I've always identified as an Inuk 00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:45.199 and I've always wanted to help however I can. 00:05:45.399 --> 00:05:48.740 So I've been very fortunate to be able to have 00:05:48.740 --> 00:05:51.160 a life experience where it has allowed for me 00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:56.699 to live in non -Indigenous parts of North America 00:05:56.699 --> 00:06:00.680 to really get a sense of different realities 00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:03.279 and then bring those realities together for the 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:06.360 common purpose and common good of Inuit. I also 00:06:06.360 --> 00:06:10.759 lived in Nunavut for 10 years. My boys, who are 00:06:10.759 --> 00:06:13.620 now 18 and 16, still live in Akhali, Nunavut, 00:06:13.740 --> 00:06:17.740 the capital of the jurisdiction of Nunavut. And 00:06:17.740 --> 00:06:21.699 so I have a little bit of a footprint in both 00:06:21.699 --> 00:06:26.170 Nunatsiavut and Nunavut. I've worked at Inuit 00:06:26.170 --> 00:06:29.529 Tepperit Kinatpi now three times. I started off 00:06:29.529 --> 00:06:31.910 my career as an environmental policy analyst. 00:06:32.209 --> 00:06:35.389 I also worked in Nunatsiavut implementing the 00:06:35.389 --> 00:06:38.189 Voices Bay project, which is a large nickel -cobalt 00:06:38.189 --> 00:06:42.769 mine there in Nunatsiavut, and then also worked 00:06:42.769 --> 00:06:47.509 at Nunavut Tungvik in Iqaluit. So I've spent 00:06:47.509 --> 00:06:49.949 my entire career working on behalf of Inuit. 00:06:51.740 --> 00:06:57.500 in different positions and have not regretted 00:06:57.500 --> 00:07:00.779 it for one second. I've really enjoyed the ability 00:07:00.779 --> 00:07:03.480 to have a career and work on behalf of my people. 00:07:04.399 --> 00:07:07.319 Well, you have a very interesting background, 00:07:07.379 --> 00:07:10.420 as you've highlighted, having been down south 00:07:10.420 --> 00:07:13.860 for part of your life and then up north again. 00:07:13.939 --> 00:07:16.959 So you do have those different perspectives that 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:19.379 many Canadians, many North Americans don't have. 00:07:20.629 --> 00:07:23.790 And you're a hockey player. So some team made 00:07:23.790 --> 00:07:26.689 the mistake by not drafting you. Is that correct? 00:07:26.870 --> 00:07:31.850 We need a team up north, right? Yeah. Well, it 00:07:31.850 --> 00:07:35.750 was always my dream. My only dream for the majority 00:07:35.750 --> 00:07:38.670 of my childhood was to play in the NHL. And sadly, 00:07:38.769 --> 00:07:41.589 that didn't come to pass. Join the club. Join 00:07:41.589 --> 00:07:45.089 the club. I guess we're going to have to ask, 00:07:45.170 --> 00:07:47.329 what was your dream team that you wanted to be 00:07:47.329 --> 00:07:52.709 drafted by? Well, if you're from a remote community, 00:07:53.069 --> 00:07:56.350 you really only have two choices. It's Montreal 00:07:56.350 --> 00:07:58.949 or Toronto. That's all you see on Hockey Night 00:07:58.949 --> 00:08:03.269 in Canada. And as a kid, especially on the East 00:08:03.269 --> 00:08:05.730 Coast, I'm not staying up to watch the late games. 00:08:05.889 --> 00:08:09.389 So in the 1980s, Toronto was pretty terrible 00:08:09.389 --> 00:08:13.689 and Montreal was winning cups. So I always imagined 00:08:13.689 --> 00:08:16.009 to be a Montreal Canadian and I'm still a Montreal 00:08:16.009 --> 00:08:22.600 fan. have been cheering for Toronto for far too 00:08:22.600 --> 00:08:24.060 long, so at least you've had the experience. 00:08:24.060 --> 00:08:27.680 Yeah, I grew up between Toronto and Montreal, 00:08:27.740 --> 00:08:31.480 and so I actually support both teams, but living 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:34.919 in the Toronto area now, the Leafs are my team. 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:39.580 I was born in Manitoba, so there was no way at 00:08:39.580 --> 00:08:42.240 the time anybody, I don't think anybody cheered 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:46.259 for Montreal. There are very few, but a great 00:08:46.259 --> 00:08:49.169 hockey club. Again, coming back to your experience, 00:08:49.350 --> 00:08:53.250 really unique, very interesting. Can you talk 00:08:53.250 --> 00:08:57.070 a little bit, just again for historical perspective 00:08:57.070 --> 00:09:00.029 for our listeners and viewers over here in the 00:09:00.029 --> 00:09:05.590 UK, about where Nunavut sits? Because for a long 00:09:05.590 --> 00:09:09.090 time it was in what was just called the Northwest 00:09:09.090 --> 00:09:15.210 Territories. And Nunavut too, because for an 00:09:15.210 --> 00:09:18.460 area that I don't know much about, We had Clint 00:09:18.460 --> 00:09:25.159 Davis not long ago on the podcast, also from 00:09:25.159 --> 00:09:31.200 Nunatsiwit, and understanding how Nunavut, Nunatsiwit, 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:36.200 and the other regions fit together would be helpful. 00:09:37.899 --> 00:09:42.279 Well, in some ways, Inuit are fortunate in that 00:09:42.279 --> 00:09:45.480 the places that we occupied were the hardest 00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:50.129 to get to. especially for colonizers who wanted 00:09:50.129 --> 00:09:55.149 to build cities and build infrastructure or have 00:09:55.149 --> 00:09:58.529 pastoral lands. There's not much pastoral lands 00:09:58.529 --> 00:10:04.450 in the Canadian Arctic. So our colonial histories 00:10:04.450 --> 00:10:07.870 started with whalers and with the Hudson's Bay 00:10:07.870 --> 00:10:11.289 Company and with missionaries. From Nunatsiavut, 00:10:11.470 --> 00:10:16.080 we were colonized first by... Moravian missionaries 00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:19.700 from Germany, but they only got that ability 00:10:19.700 --> 00:10:23.019 through land grants from the British crown as 00:10:23.019 --> 00:10:26.419 Newfoundland and Labrador was a part of Britain 00:10:26.419 --> 00:10:30.960 at the time in the 1770s. Other parts of the 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:35.179 Canadian Arctic had many more interactions with 00:10:35.179 --> 00:10:39.399 whalers or with trading. And it wasn't until 00:10:39.399 --> 00:10:43.279 around World War II and the aftermath in the 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:47.059 Cold War. that many of our communities became 00:10:47.059 --> 00:10:52.539 permanent communities. Much of those reasons 00:10:52.539 --> 00:10:55.620 were because of Canadian fears around sovereignty, 00:10:55.840 --> 00:11:03.919 but also the new ability to have a very overarching 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:08.740 and intrusive control over Inuit communities, 00:11:08.919 --> 00:11:12.559 and in many cases, compelling Inuit to abandon 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:17.629 our seasonal structure of living and to move 00:11:17.629 --> 00:11:23.129 into newly created fixed communities with terrible 00:11:23.129 --> 00:11:26.649 results, I might add. But we are situated at 00:11:26.649 --> 00:11:31.350 the top of Canada and in some cases as little 00:11:31.350 --> 00:11:35.789 as 100 or 200 kilometers from Greenland on our 00:11:35.789 --> 00:11:38.830 eastern borders. And on our western borders, 00:11:39.049 --> 00:11:43.669 we are very close to Alaska. So much so that... 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:48.039 Many Inuit have family members or have intermarried 00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:51.940 and have deep connections across borders from 00:11:51.940 --> 00:11:57.879 Greenland, Canada to Alaska. Even though we have 00:11:57.879 --> 00:12:01.720 an incredible distance, towards the 5 ,000 kilometers 00:12:01.720 --> 00:12:05.659 from east to west, we have one culture and one 00:12:05.659 --> 00:12:10.159 overarching language and a very common way of 00:12:10.159 --> 00:12:13.740 seeing the world. So we have actually an international 00:12:13.740 --> 00:12:17.360 body called the Inuit Circumpolar Council. And 00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:21.220 we have Inuit in the Chukotka region of Russia, 00:12:21.379 --> 00:12:25.360 Alaska, Canada, and Greenland, who all come together 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:27.259 and work together on the international stage 00:12:27.259 --> 00:12:32.299 on the UN processes and really creating unity 00:12:32.299 --> 00:12:36.320 amongst each other. So it's a pretty remarkable 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:42.600 society. It can't be underscored enough how important 00:12:42.600 --> 00:12:45.919 this area of the world is now, geopolitically, 00:12:46.039 --> 00:12:50.120 and how important it is to involving it in whatever 00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:55.759 is to come. Yeah, that was pretty clear. I traveled 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:58.259 for the first time up to Nunavut earlier this 00:12:58.259 --> 00:13:01.220 year. That's where I first met you at the Nunavut 00:13:01.220 --> 00:13:05.860 Arctic Sovereignty and Security Conference. And 00:13:05.860 --> 00:13:09.950 I was really... blown away, partly because there 00:13:09.950 --> 00:13:12.470 were, as you say, Greenlanders there who were 00:13:12.470 --> 00:13:17.889 clearly considered themselves brothers and sisters, 00:13:18.169 --> 00:13:22.730 but also the interest in the Arctic from all 00:13:22.730 --> 00:13:28.409 corners now, and the excitement on the one hand 00:13:28.409 --> 00:13:32.330 for what might come, but also hesitation too, 00:13:32.429 --> 00:13:37.360 because a lot of development. in initiatives, 00:13:37.500 --> 00:13:45.600 but that change sometimes isn't easy. Yeah. We've 00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:50.120 gone through a lot and much of it is well documented, 00:13:50.419 --> 00:13:56.480 especially in the time period between the 1950s 00:13:56.480 --> 00:14:01.639 and the 1970s where Inuit were coerced into communities 00:14:01.639 --> 00:14:06.049 in many cases. Inuit children are taken away 00:14:06.049 --> 00:14:08.950 to residential school. We didn't have health 00:14:08.950 --> 00:14:14.090 care facilities. So in the advent of a TB epidemic, 00:14:15.149 --> 00:14:20.289 thousands of Inuit were brought from our homeland 00:14:20.289 --> 00:14:23.090 to southern facilities and put in sanatoriums 00:14:23.090 --> 00:14:28.289 for years on end at many times. We also relied 00:14:28.289 --> 00:14:34.299 on our sled dogs. Through government policy and 00:14:34.299 --> 00:14:39.279 through police ordinance adherences, the majority 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:42.899 of our sled dogs were killed when we were put 00:14:42.899 --> 00:14:47.000 into communities. And so the entire structure 00:14:47.000 --> 00:14:49.440 of the way that we lived our lives and the way 00:14:49.440 --> 00:14:54.279 that we were self -determining within our homeland 00:14:54.279 --> 00:14:57.679 was disrupted. And much of the work that we have 00:14:57.679 --> 00:15:02.070 done since then was try to... regain self -determination 00:15:02.070 --> 00:15:09.190 and try to figure out how to work to improve 00:15:09.190 --> 00:15:14.129 our society while maintaining our traditional 00:15:14.129 --> 00:15:17.490 ways, but also understanding that we are a part 00:15:17.490 --> 00:15:23.370 of Canada and that citizens of Nunangat will 00:15:23.370 --> 00:15:27.269 want to be a part of the economy. to be a part 00:15:27.269 --> 00:15:31.549 of academics and healthcare and education. And 00:15:31.549 --> 00:15:34.110 so figuring out how to have a foot in both worlds 00:15:34.110 --> 00:15:39.009 and to do that successfully is a large part of 00:15:39.009 --> 00:15:43.789 the work that we do here at IDK. So just building 00:15:43.789 --> 00:15:45.850 on that, what are some of the current priorities 00:15:45.850 --> 00:15:49.529 at IDK that you're focused on at the moment? 00:15:50.549 --> 00:15:56.250 Often we have... two streams. We have a stream 00:15:56.250 --> 00:15:58.529 that we have decided ourselves that are priorities 00:15:58.529 --> 00:16:02.149 for Inuit. And then we also have the stream with 00:16:02.149 --> 00:16:04.190 the federal government where the federal government 00:16:04.190 --> 00:16:06.830 may have a reconciliation agenda or an economic 00:16:06.830 --> 00:16:11.370 agenda. And we fit prominently within the aspirations 00:16:11.370 --> 00:16:13.769 of a particular mandate of a particular government. 00:16:14.230 --> 00:16:18.570 And so we have to be at the table and engage 00:16:18.570 --> 00:16:22.129 and work with governments. And so that sometimes 00:16:23.470 --> 00:16:29.529 is a large pull on our time. Some of the things 00:16:29.529 --> 00:16:32.330 that we've worked on for a long time, just in 00:16:32.330 --> 00:16:36.110 relation to equity in healthcare and educational 00:16:36.110 --> 00:16:42.169 outcomes, on life expectancy, on very basic infrastructure 00:16:42.169 --> 00:16:47.649 needs for our regions, the ability to have connectivity, 00:16:47.990 --> 00:16:54.360 broadband across our homeland, The ability to 00:16:54.360 --> 00:16:58.419 rise out of poverty, to have enough food. We 00:16:58.419 --> 00:17:03.139 have strategies and policies and are trying to 00:17:03.139 --> 00:17:05.759 implement programs and services across the Unangat 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:10.859 for all of those different areas. In the last 00:17:10.859 --> 00:17:13.579 six months or so, there have been a lot of conversations 00:17:13.579 --> 00:17:18.319 nationally about whether it's defense and militarization 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:22.339 of the Arctic or building one Canadian economy. 00:17:23.109 --> 00:17:26.009 And so we've been brought into that conversation 00:17:26.009 --> 00:17:29.670 as a priority as well. And it aligns with the 00:17:29.670 --> 00:17:34.650 long -term needs that we have in Inuit Nunangat, 00:17:34.670 --> 00:17:36.569 in one of the most remote places in the country. 00:17:37.390 --> 00:17:40.049 We just hope that we can align the interests 00:17:40.049 --> 00:17:43.170 so that we don't have a replication of what happened 00:17:43.170 --> 00:17:46.609 during the Cold War era, where the U .S. and 00:17:46.609 --> 00:17:50.230 Canada built massive infrastructure projects 00:17:50.230 --> 00:17:55.390 across our homeland. With no intention of having 00:17:55.390 --> 00:17:58.529 any of the benefits, whether they be economic 00:17:58.529 --> 00:18:04.150 or practical benefits to communities and to innovate 00:18:04.150 --> 00:18:07.829 ourselves. It was done as almost like a layering 00:18:07.829 --> 00:18:13.809 on top of an existing society without any overlap 00:18:13.809 --> 00:18:18.329 between what was happening at those installations 00:18:18.329 --> 00:18:20.470 and at those bases versus what was happening 00:18:20.470 --> 00:18:23.430 within our society. So we don't want to see a 00:18:23.430 --> 00:18:25.829 replication of that. We want to be integrated 00:18:25.829 --> 00:18:28.650 in the way that we approach these issues. We 00:18:28.650 --> 00:18:31.710 are proud Canadians. We want to stand up for 00:18:31.710 --> 00:18:35.089 our country, but we also want to bring Inuit 00:18:35.089 --> 00:18:40.410 Nunangat into Canada. We want to ensure that 00:18:40.410 --> 00:18:44.069 we can be economically successful, but also that 00:18:44.069 --> 00:18:47.630 our communities can be sustainable and enhanced 00:18:47.630 --> 00:18:50.900 by any of the investment. that is to come in 00:18:50.900 --> 00:18:55.319 the Canadian Arctic. Some First Nations leaders 00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:59.000 and others are concerned about how quickly the 00:18:59.000 --> 00:19:02.519 Canadian government wants to move and concerned 00:19:02.519 --> 00:19:10.180 about infringing hard -fought rights. Do they 00:19:10.180 --> 00:19:13.259 in any way share that concern? Are you comfortable 00:19:13.259 --> 00:19:19.180 with and excited about the next few years? Yeah, 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:26.200 Bill C -5 was contentious. ITK opposed the passing 00:19:26.200 --> 00:19:29.960 of Bill C -5 in the manner that it passed. It's 00:19:29.960 --> 00:19:35.839 not that we had massive concerns with the spirit 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:38.799 and intent of the legislation. We were concerned 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:43.420 about the lack of consultation and the fears 00:19:43.420 --> 00:19:50.660 in some of the provisions that may be at odds 00:19:50.660 --> 00:19:54.160 with our modern treaties and the provisions of 00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:56.619 our modern treaties. We have been told repeatedly 00:19:56.619 --> 00:19:58.960 by the prime minister and the cabinet members 00:19:58.960 --> 00:20:04.420 associated with the work that our treaties take 00:20:04.420 --> 00:20:08.240 precedent over Bill C -5. We also did a lot of 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:10.380 work in the previous government to amend the 00:20:10.380 --> 00:20:13.920 Interpretation Act to include a universal non 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:18.160 -derogation clause. That's a lot of... for anyone 00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:22.099 who doesn't follow legislative paths closely. 00:20:22.259 --> 00:20:26.200 But basically, the non -derogation clause says 00:20:26.200 --> 00:20:29.240 that no piece of legislation can ever be passed 00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:36.299 in Canada that supersedes the constitutional 00:20:36.299 --> 00:20:40.140 and the overarching rights of Indigenous peoples, 00:20:40.299 --> 00:20:44.140 especially through treaties and through previous 00:20:44.140 --> 00:20:47.309 pieces of legislation. You can't amend the Constitution 00:20:47.309 --> 00:20:51.470 through legislation or impede the rights of Indigenous 00:20:51.470 --> 00:20:55.390 peoples through legislation that's protected 00:20:55.390 --> 00:20:58.250 under the Constitution. And in Canada, we were 00:20:58.250 --> 00:21:01.589 very fortunate to have that cover under our Constitution 00:21:01.589 --> 00:21:06.230 for the upholding of our rights. We hope that 00:21:06.230 --> 00:21:11.329 all of this holds. And just because we have the 00:21:11.329 --> 00:21:16.240 ability to litigate, It does not mean that we 00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:20.359 feel safe in any way, shape, or form. The partnerships 00:21:20.359 --> 00:21:24.039 that we want to make have to be earned, and they 00:21:24.039 --> 00:21:29.180 have to be done in a spirit of partnership rather 00:21:29.180 --> 00:21:35.740 than one of coercion or thrust upon us the way 00:21:35.740 --> 00:21:40.900 that many people do fear. We also aren't going 00:21:40.900 --> 00:21:45.329 to abandon environmental assessment or any of 00:21:45.329 --> 00:21:49.309 the other mechanisms within our treaties that 00:21:49.309 --> 00:21:52.849 allow for things like impact benefit agreements 00:21:52.849 --> 00:21:56.869 to be signed for any sort of major projects that 00:21:56.869 --> 00:21:59.809 happen within our homeland. We believe that we 00:21:59.809 --> 00:22:03.069 can do all of this quickly. We can have shared 00:22:03.069 --> 00:22:05.990 ambition. We can get to these nation building 00:22:05.990 --> 00:22:09.009 projects and do it in a way that doesn't undermine 00:22:09.009 --> 00:22:12.650 any of the processes that we've fought so hard 00:22:12.650 --> 00:22:17.769 to create, or the legislative cover that we have 00:22:17.769 --> 00:22:24.130 that under no circumstance will we abandon. We've 00:22:24.130 --> 00:22:29.710 wanted to have these links north to south for 00:22:29.710 --> 00:22:33.849 decades now. And if this time and in this moment, 00:22:34.089 --> 00:22:38.109 there can be the investment to create better 00:22:38.599 --> 00:22:43.799 marine infrastructure, to create more air infrastructure 00:22:43.799 --> 00:22:46.140 or road infrastructure from the south to the 00:22:46.140 --> 00:22:48.579 north, or from the north to the south, no matter 00:22:48.579 --> 00:22:52.359 what we look at it. I think we are in for an 00:22:52.359 --> 00:22:55.880 exciting time that will really change the fortunes 00:22:55.880 --> 00:23:02.119 of Inuit and Inuit Nyungat for the better. Thank 00:23:02.119 --> 00:23:05.220 you for that. You talked about environmental 00:23:05.220 --> 00:23:11.609 assessments. is always the number of them. Federal 00:23:11.609 --> 00:23:15.910 government has one at the provincial or territory 00:23:15.910 --> 00:23:19.910 level. How do we eliminate duplication? Is that 00:23:19.910 --> 00:23:23.170 something you see happening? Is that already 00:23:23.170 --> 00:23:28.309 happening? My answer to that immediately is through 00:23:28.309 --> 00:23:33.630 efficiency rather than through abandonment or 00:23:33.630 --> 00:23:38.259 abroad. revisiting of existing legislation. We 00:23:38.259 --> 00:23:41.960 recognize and as proponents in some cases of 00:23:41.960 --> 00:23:44.960 projects have been quite frustrated with the 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:46.839 length of time that some of these processes take. 00:23:47.460 --> 00:23:51.240 And so there is a shared concern about how long 00:23:51.240 --> 00:23:54.740 it might take to get some of these projects off 00:23:54.740 --> 00:23:58.299 the ground. And the administrative structure 00:23:58.299 --> 00:24:00.900 is in place to do that or sometimes inadequate 00:24:00.900 --> 00:24:07.880 or take wholly too long. So we look forward to 00:24:07.880 --> 00:24:11.660 working with all parties involved from communities 00:24:11.660 --> 00:24:15.619 all the way up to federal departments to ensure 00:24:15.619 --> 00:24:19.279 that we can find efficiencies and that we can 00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:23.380 also just put our minds to it and do it in a 00:24:23.380 --> 00:24:28.039 quicker way. I do like the prime minister's mantra 00:24:28.039 --> 00:24:32.180 of doing things quicker than have been done in 00:24:32.180 --> 00:24:35.960 decades. imagining the post -World War II boom, 00:24:36.059 --> 00:24:40.019 especially in housing, as something to emulate 00:24:40.019 --> 00:24:44.460 and model. Canada has built quickly before without 00:24:44.460 --> 00:24:52.400 compromising our environment or the due diligence 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:58.180 within law. And let's do that again. Yeah, this 00:24:58.180 --> 00:25:00.839 time though, well, a lot of things have changed, 00:25:00.900 --> 00:25:04.140 but one of them is Is leadership like yourself 00:25:04.140 --> 00:25:07.599 and a law that backs your place? I don't think 00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:11.799 it's going to be possible to do these big nation 00:25:11.799 --> 00:25:16.559 -building projects without meaningful involvement 00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:21.059 from Indigenous communities. Part of your background 00:25:21.059 --> 00:25:24.000 as well is you've been on the Inuit Crown Partnership 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:28.960 Committee. Can you explain again to our listeners 00:25:28.960 --> 00:25:31.500 and viewers a little bit about what that is? 00:25:32.170 --> 00:25:37.930 what it's set out to achieve? Yeah. Well, I'd 00:25:37.930 --> 00:25:39.950 like to start by saying I'm not sure that another 00:25:39.950 --> 00:25:45.410 nation state has a structural partnership with 00:25:45.410 --> 00:25:49.130 its Indigenous people the way that we have created 00:25:49.130 --> 00:25:52.150 with the Inuit Crown Partnership between Inuit 00:25:52.150 --> 00:25:55.750 leadership and the Canadian government. This 00:25:55.750 --> 00:25:59.769 was formed in 2018 and there's a declaration. 00:26:00.349 --> 00:26:03.009 that underscores the creation of the Inuit Crown 00:26:03.009 --> 00:26:08.390 Partnership Table. We then created a rough terms 00:26:08.390 --> 00:26:12.490 of reference that allows for structural participation. 00:26:13.990 --> 00:26:17.230 The Inuit Treaty Organization presidents, myself, 00:26:17.630 --> 00:26:20.289 the president of the Inuit Circumpolar Council 00:26:20.289 --> 00:26:23.509 Canada, and the president of Pauk Tuti Inuit 00:26:23.509 --> 00:26:26.049 Women of Canada, and also the president of the 00:26:26.049 --> 00:26:29.170 National Inuit Youth Council, sit alongside. 00:26:30.039 --> 00:26:34.180 federal ministers of the Crown and for two meetings 00:26:34.180 --> 00:26:37.420 a year. And for one meeting a year, the prime 00:26:37.420 --> 00:26:40.920 minister attends as well. We schedule three meetings 00:26:40.920 --> 00:26:45.119 annually. And the principle is this, that there 00:26:45.119 --> 00:26:47.079 will always be innate priorities and there will 00:26:47.079 --> 00:26:52.299 always be federal priorities. We have a relationship 00:26:52.299 --> 00:26:55.460 within this nation state that is structural. 00:26:56.119 --> 00:27:01.160 We have shared ambition. So why don't we identify 00:27:01.160 --> 00:27:04.720 the shared priority areas we have, then create 00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:08.960 work plans and create priority areas, and then 00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:12.539 hold ourselves accountable to achieving the outcomes 00:27:12.539 --> 00:27:16.240 of those work plans year over year. So we've 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:20.680 been able to identify 12 different priority areas 00:27:20.680 --> 00:27:26.660 that we work on on an ongoing basis. We try to... 00:27:28.009 --> 00:27:31.450 Only identify priority areas that are multilateral, 00:27:31.630 --> 00:27:36.630 meaning that it's not just Crown Indigenous Relations 00:27:36.630 --> 00:27:40.769 and ITK that need to solve something. It may 00:27:40.769 --> 00:27:44.549 be that the finance department needs to be involved. 00:27:44.710 --> 00:27:49.269 It may be that Health Canada needs to work with 00:27:49.269 --> 00:27:52.529 Indigenous services. It needs to work with different 00:27:52.529 --> 00:27:56.309 regions. We try to take our complex problems, 00:27:56.470 --> 00:28:00.569 and if we have a shared ambition of an outcome, 00:28:00.769 --> 00:28:03.250 we flow them through that partnership table. 00:28:04.269 --> 00:28:07.890 We just had a meeting in Inuvik where the prime 00:28:07.890 --> 00:28:11.869 minister and I co -chaired the ICPC. It was about 00:28:11.869 --> 00:28:15.670 a seven -hour meeting. The Bill C -5 and the 00:28:15.670 --> 00:28:18.230 major projects were a large part of that agenda, 00:28:18.369 --> 00:28:23.559 but only a part of it. We had seven other ministers 00:28:23.559 --> 00:28:27.220 of the Crown who were there who are also wanting 00:28:27.220 --> 00:28:31.839 to use the ICPC space to be able to get effective 00:28:31.839 --> 00:28:35.400 outcomes and do work. We had the finance minister. 00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:40.400 We also had the minister of defense. When the 00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:42.880 prime minister does not come, I co -chair the 00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:45.480 space with the Crown Indigenous Relations Minister. 00:28:47.140 --> 00:28:49.900 Most often than not, there are between five and 00:28:49.900 --> 00:28:52.029 seven ministers of the Crown. that sit on the 00:28:52.029 --> 00:28:55.390 other side of the table. And our treaties are 00:28:55.390 --> 00:28:58.569 with the Crown and Right of Canada. So the United 00:28:58.569 --> 00:29:02.509 Crown Partnership is just very literally taking 00:29:02.509 --> 00:29:06.650 the treaty relationship that we have and putting 00:29:06.650 --> 00:29:09.369 it on the working level rather than it being 00:29:09.369 --> 00:29:16.450 something that is nebulous or that has no day 00:29:16.450 --> 00:29:20.859 -to -day functionality to it. Within the implementation 00:29:20.859 --> 00:29:23.599 of our treaties, it's always, for First Nations 00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:27.500 and Inuit alike, it's been really difficult in 00:29:27.500 --> 00:29:32.299 this country over the last 150 years to keep 00:29:32.299 --> 00:29:37.039 the Crown's honour front and centre within the 00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:39.759 implementation of treaties, but also practically 00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:44.019 to not drift apart and become adversaries. Our 00:29:44.019 --> 00:29:47.910 leadership, especially Dwayne Smith, Inuviali 00:29:47.910 --> 00:29:51.430 chair always says, you know, they're just as 00:29:51.430 --> 00:29:54.609 much Canada's treaties as they are Inuit treaties. 00:29:55.170 --> 00:29:58.650 We try to keep that spirit within the work we 00:29:58.650 --> 00:30:04.210 do. We have some great outputs, one being the 00:30:04.210 --> 00:30:07.430 Inuit New Lingot policy, which is a policy that 00:30:07.430 --> 00:30:11.789 we co -developed through the ICPC space, but 00:30:11.789 --> 00:30:14.410 Prime Minister Trudeau announced was a federal 00:30:14.410 --> 00:30:18.589 government policy. and released it in 2023. There 00:30:18.589 --> 00:30:21.190 was a cabinet directive that was done towards 00:30:21.190 --> 00:30:26.490 the end of 2024 that further expressly talked 00:30:26.490 --> 00:30:29.170 about the implementation of the Inuit and Inuit 00:30:29.170 --> 00:30:32.109 policy across the federal public service. And 00:30:32.109 --> 00:30:35.369 that is, I think, one of the ways in which Inuit 00:30:35.369 --> 00:30:37.490 are trying to transform our relationship with 00:30:37.490 --> 00:30:42.990 the Crown. We are often... misunderstood or not 00:30:42.990 --> 00:30:46.329 considered at all when there is a piece of legislation 00:30:46.329 --> 00:30:50.509 or policy that is being considered that has effects 00:30:50.509 --> 00:30:53.670 on Indigenous peoples. We are interrupting that 00:30:53.670 --> 00:31:00.049 and providing an explicit guide or even in a 00:31:00.049 --> 00:31:03.609 harsher term, an obligation for the federal government 00:31:03.609 --> 00:31:08.529 public service to follow whenever anything impacts 00:31:08.529 --> 00:31:13.680 inmate. This has never been done before within 00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:18.259 the federal government of Canada. And we're really 00:31:18.259 --> 00:31:23.079 hoping that it will, as I said, interrupt either 00:31:23.079 --> 00:31:29.920 processes that exclude Inuit or processes where 00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:34.220 the federal government decides which, on its 00:31:34.220 --> 00:31:37.980 own, which way to go. It's not a choose -your 00:31:37.980 --> 00:31:40.950 -own -adventure with Indigenous peoples. We have 00:31:40.950 --> 00:31:43.789 structural relationships and they need to be 00:31:43.789 --> 00:31:48.829 implemented. Well, when you get a group like 00:31:48.829 --> 00:31:50.990 the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, 00:31:51.170 --> 00:31:54.549 Minister of Defence and a few others at a table 00:31:54.549 --> 00:31:57.029 wanting to talk, you get an idea of the importance 00:31:57.029 --> 00:32:04.750 of the subject matter and the region. So I hope 00:32:04.750 --> 00:32:08.009 you are right. And I'm wondering if there are 00:32:08.009 --> 00:32:12.109 opportunities for foreign... investors or partners 00:32:12.109 --> 00:32:15.470 in some of these sectors that are going to see 00:32:15.470 --> 00:32:21.589 investment in the next few years. All of my description 00:32:21.589 --> 00:32:25.710 of our governance and our treaty relationship 00:32:25.710 --> 00:32:30.450 with Canada and our ambition as people, I think 00:32:30.450 --> 00:32:35.150 sets the stage for certainty in any sort of natural 00:32:35.150 --> 00:32:38.369 resource extraction projects, any sort of joint 00:32:38.369 --> 00:32:42.089 ventures for... shipping or for infrastructure 00:32:42.089 --> 00:32:48.470 or for aviation. There are opportunities within 00:32:48.470 --> 00:32:52.069 Unangat that are emerging, especially in the 00:32:52.069 --> 00:32:55.849 defense sector and the military spend, which 00:32:55.849 --> 00:33:00.109 is going to be in the billions and will be ongoing 00:33:00.109 --> 00:33:06.700 for the foreseeable future. We have development 00:33:06.700 --> 00:33:09.059 corporations and birthright organizations. We 00:33:09.059 --> 00:33:13.140 also have individual entrepreneurs who run successful 00:33:13.140 --> 00:33:17.140 businesses or joint ventures with non -indigenous 00:33:17.140 --> 00:33:21.039 businesses to do work in Inuit and Inuit. And 00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:24.500 so what I'm describing is a stable environment, 00:33:24.940 --> 00:33:28.799 a rule -based structure in order to then make 00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:33.599 a quantifiable decision around the risk associated 00:33:33.599 --> 00:33:38.140 with any of the projects or any of the big ambitious 00:33:38.140 --> 00:33:40.680 natural resource projects that might happen in 00:33:40.680 --> 00:33:44.619 the next decade. We've talked, you know, in the 00:33:44.619 --> 00:33:46.819 news, there's been projects like the Grays Bay 00:33:46.819 --> 00:33:49.599 Road and Port with the Kivilik Hydrofiber Link. 00:33:50.859 --> 00:33:54.859 Those are two projects that are in Nunavut, but 00:33:54.859 --> 00:33:58.839 are going to be billions of dollars to get off 00:33:58.839 --> 00:34:02.740 the ground. And not only are they to service 00:34:03.470 --> 00:34:07.509 in our communities, but they also are going to 00:34:07.509 --> 00:34:13.289 be launching pads for natural resource extraction 00:34:13.289 --> 00:34:17.289 or other economic activity within those regions. 00:34:17.650 --> 00:34:21.469 All of a sudden, we're changing in, say, the 00:34:21.469 --> 00:34:26.250 central part of Nunavut, the main fuel source 00:34:26.250 --> 00:34:31.789 of being diesel, which is incredibly costly. 00:34:32.489 --> 00:34:37.090 costly to run and then dirty from a pollution 00:34:37.090 --> 00:34:42.429 perspective, to hydro and that hydro coming from 00:34:42.429 --> 00:34:48.170 Manitoba. The opportunities to have a larger 00:34:48.170 --> 00:34:52.809 supply of clean energy within the central part 00:34:52.809 --> 00:34:56.150 of Nunavut may spur on development in many different 00:34:56.150 --> 00:35:00.389 ways that we don't know. The Grays Bay Road and 00:35:00.389 --> 00:35:04.360 Port is explicitly meant to open up mineral corridors 00:35:04.360 --> 00:35:08.159 in the western part of Nunavut and parts of the 00:35:08.159 --> 00:35:11.639 Northwest Territories as well for underdeveloped 00:35:11.639 --> 00:35:16.719 resources that are significant in scope. From 00:35:16.719 --> 00:35:19.139 a natural resource extraction perspective, there 00:35:19.139 --> 00:35:22.340 are these big opportunities. Also from a building 00:35:22.340 --> 00:35:24.780 infrastructure perspective, there's going to 00:35:24.780 --> 00:35:30.119 be talks of building roads or building ports 00:35:30.119 --> 00:35:35.039 or... improving aviation infrastructure. All 00:35:35.039 --> 00:35:40.219 of these projects are going to need a lot of 00:35:40.219 --> 00:35:42.880 investment, but also a lot of know -how and expertise 00:35:42.880 --> 00:35:48.079 that is in some cases or many cases going to 00:35:48.079 --> 00:35:52.440 fall outside of our ability to provide on our 00:35:52.440 --> 00:35:56.139 own. So there are many different opportunities 00:35:56.139 --> 00:36:00.340 for partnership. And I would just say that Going 00:36:00.340 --> 00:36:03.239 through the front door is always the best option 00:36:03.239 --> 00:36:07.760 when working with Inuit. We have land claim agreements. 00:36:07.980 --> 00:36:11.659 We have rights holding institutions. We have 00:36:11.659 --> 00:36:16.119 development corporations. This is not a wild 00:36:16.119 --> 00:36:20.400 west. And if investors or potential businesses 00:36:20.400 --> 00:36:25.239 think that they can come in and treat Canada 00:36:25.239 --> 00:36:29.110 like a third world country or like an... an unregulated 00:36:29.110 --> 00:36:32.849 environment where Indigenous peoples are not 00:36:32.849 --> 00:36:35.929 a central part of this equation of doing business. 00:36:36.210 --> 00:36:41.590 I would just say that that is not the case. No, 00:36:41.630 --> 00:36:44.309 there are good structures in place. There are 00:36:44.309 --> 00:36:49.409 knowledgeable advisors and great leadership like 00:36:49.409 --> 00:36:54.349 yourself to hopefully avoid that. That's a great 00:36:54.349 --> 00:37:00.840 message. Yes. Absolutely. Just before we wrap 00:37:00.840 --> 00:37:05.079 up, unless there's some other issues you'd like 00:37:05.079 --> 00:37:06.579 to raise, it's been a great conversation. Can 00:37:06.579 --> 00:37:09.820 you talk a little bit about the flag? Because 00:37:09.820 --> 00:37:13.619 most people will not have seen that flag. Can 00:37:13.619 --> 00:37:16.800 you describe it for our audience? Okay. It's 00:37:16.800 --> 00:37:20.360 meant to do two things. One, there are four Inuit 00:37:20.360 --> 00:37:24.219 regions within Inuit Nunangat in Canada. So there 00:37:24.219 --> 00:37:26.989 are four Inuit on the flag. They represent men 00:37:26.989 --> 00:37:32.590 and women. Women have a different style of parka 00:37:32.590 --> 00:37:36.289 or winter clothing called an amauti. Many people 00:37:36.289 --> 00:37:39.170 would know that women carry babies in their backs 00:37:39.170 --> 00:37:42.130 just as much as any other way when they're infants. 00:37:42.429 --> 00:37:46.489 And so there are two women and two men. In the 00:37:46.489 --> 00:37:48.969 negative space in the middle, there is the Canada 00:37:48.969 --> 00:37:52.440 flag. the maple leaf that is on the Canadian 00:37:52.440 --> 00:37:55.739 flag. It's meant to show that we are a part of 00:37:55.739 --> 00:37:58.860 Canada, and we're very proud to be a part of 00:37:58.860 --> 00:38:01.440 Canada. And then just under the Canadian flag 00:38:01.440 --> 00:38:03.920 in that negative space is the outline of an ulu, 00:38:04.039 --> 00:38:08.039 which is a woman's life. Our organization, Inuit 00:38:08.039 --> 00:38:12.900 Taparit Kanatami, literally means Inuit Taparit 00:38:12.900 --> 00:38:17.960 is united, or are united, and Kanata is Canada, 00:38:18.119 --> 00:38:22.619 and mi is in. So United in Canada is our literal 00:38:22.619 --> 00:38:26.760 name. We are very literal people sometimes. Wow. 00:38:28.559 --> 00:38:31.699 It's been a great conversation speaking with 00:38:31.699 --> 00:38:36.980 you, President Nathan. Very informative. Rob? 00:38:37.059 --> 00:38:39.420 Yeah, no, real pleasure. Thank you for your time 00:38:39.420 --> 00:38:42.059 this morning. Thank you for your years of service 00:38:42.059 --> 00:38:45.900 to your people. And best of luck over the next 00:38:45.900 --> 00:38:52.119 stage. Very exciting. years ahead. Well, thank 00:38:52.119 --> 00:38:55.780 you, Rob and Mark, for having me on your podcast 00:38:55.780 --> 00:38:59.659 and look forward to future conversations. We 00:38:59.659 --> 00:39:04.679 certainly do. Thank you very much. Thank you 00:39:04.679 --> 00:39:07.019 to President Natan Obed for sharing his insights 00:39:07.019 --> 00:39:09.280 with us and thank you for viewing and listening. 00:39:10.300 --> 00:39:13.400 Mark your calendars for the upcoming 2026 Summit 00:39:13.400 --> 00:39:16.530 taking place on the 8th of April. Be sure to 00:39:16.530 --> 00:39:18.710 share, subscribe, and leave a review on your 00:39:18.710 --> 00:39:21.369 favorite podcast channel. Thanks for listening 00:39:21.369 --> 00:39:23.250 to Drum Beats. Until next time.