The Mary River Mine Blockade

Sorry about the near four-week absence but very little happened for the rest of January to warrant another blog post.  To make a long story short: classes were still happening, the sun was slowly returning, the weather was cold, and everyone was still worried about COVID-19.  There are still no confirmed cases in Arctic Bay, but that could change in an instant.  (Travelling between communities is restricted to essential travel only).

Things started to pick up in February.  The sun came back on February 5 just before lunchtime.  I snapped photographs before & after the lunch bell rang.  The sun was only visible for about 30 minutes.  Then is slowly sank behind the mountains and disappeared.  The physical sun will increase its presence by 20 minutes everyday until it will always be in the sky in May. 

Unfortunately, the school was not permitted to hold a sun celebration assembly in the gym because of, you guessed it, COVID-19 restrictions!  However, classes were allowed to celebrate individually.        

The big news in the territory was the week-long blockade at the Mary River Mine by a group of 7 Inuit hunters calling themselves the Nuluujaat Land Guardians (NLG).  The blockade began on February 4 and ended on February 11.  The hunters are from Arctic Bay & Pond Inlet.  They travelled by skidoo & qamutik to the main Mary River Mine site, located about 160km south of Pond Inlet & 273km southeast of Arctic Bay.  The hunters came together somewhere along the way and then continued as a convoy.  They set up camps on the mine’s airstrip, and tote road.  The road leads to the company’s port at Milne Inlet.  The two blockades shutdown mining operations and trapped 700 employees.

The blockade was in response to Baffinland’s Phase 2 plan to expand the mine’s iron ore operations & output.  The company has been trying to secure permission from the Nunavut Government and various Inuit organizations – NTI, QIA, HTO – to build a 110km railroad between the mine & the port.  They say this will double production and bring more jobs to the Nunavut economy.  NLG argues the railroad will damage the environment, harm wildlife, and impede their traditional ways of life.  They also demand the Inuit organizations who receive royalty payments from Baffinland according to the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement be shared with “[Inuit] communities in the area”.  They added they were not allowed to voice their concerns at the public hearings held in Iqaluit.    

Baffinland filed an injunction against NLG on February 10, claiming the blockades cost the company millions of dollars.  NLG agreed to leave the next day because a judge granted the injunction and gave the RCMP permission to intervene.  The mayor of Pond Inlet stepped in, proposing a meeting between the NLG, Baffinland, Nunavut Premier Joe Savikataaq, QIA, NTI, and other Inuit organizations in the near future.  Hopefully this will happen.

Everyone in Arctic Bay paid close attention to the Mary River Blockade.  I incorporated the event into one of my Grade 10 Social Studies lessons because it relates to the globalization unit.  Nunatsiaq News reported protests held in Iqaluit, Naujaat, Taloyoak, and Igloolik.  With the blockade over, everyone is waiting for the meeting to happen, and NLG’s day in court because they’re being charged with “trespass, nuisance, and interference with economic interests.”

Source: Nunatsiaq News

I can see why there’re many concerns & oppositions to the proposed railway because the embankment will be quite tall and appear as a wall.  I think caribou & other land animals will be able to climb over the embankment, but I think the new addition to the landscape will make them hesitate or change their migration routes entirely.  I suppose building tunnels underneath as animal crossings could work, but getting animals to use them will be another challenge.  I would like to see Nunavut’s economy grow because they’re not that many job opportunities in the territory, but maybe Mary River is not the place to start.  We shall have to wait and see what happens in the next few months.

Clouds near Arctic Bay. February 13, 2021.

The cadets of 3045 Army Cadet Corps have been getting ready for the upcoming Parents Night Parade (PNP) in the middle of February.  This will be the first PNP of the 2020-2021 Training Year.  It would have been the third PNP, but . . . you know.  The cadets have been perfecting their drill, cleaning their uniforms, and polishing their boots.  I’ve been doing the same, and preparing the program.  They’re going to be quite a few awards & promotions to give out.  (More on this in a future post).

Professional Development (PD) Week is starting really soon for Nunavut teachers.  The week will run from February 15 – 19 and will give teachers time to complete online courses, virtual workshops, or whatever it is they selected to better themselves in their professions.  Students get a week off school.  Teachers are required to complete their PD in their communities because of the ongoing pandemic.  This year, I’ll be completing three online courses.  I hope they’ll be okay.  Teachers are reimbursed for a limited amount of expenses from a PD fund.  The maximum amount depends on the community where you teach.