Nunavik has very vast natural spaces preserved from human activity and essential to the way of life of the Inuit who inhabit this territory. for centuries. But the mining industry increasingly covets resources not underground renewables. A situation that could compromise efforts to protect biodiversity.
The majestic Puvirnituq River flows at the bottom of a canyon as rocky as it is winding, in the heart of a landscape of hills located at the northern limit of Parc national des Pingualuit. Traces of human presence are virtually non-existent there, apart from the three small camps that have been welcoming visitors for several years to admire the wide open spaces of this protected territory, which is also the first national park to have been created in Nunavik. .
The tranquility of the place is suddenly disturbed by the roar of a helicopter which passes north of the river, with a device suspended under the device. “It’s mining companies that do exploration not far from here,” explains Maali Tukirqi, an Inuit guide at Parc des Pingualuit. Immediately after, a plane that has just taken off crosses the sky. It is likely to transport workers from the Raglan mine, owned by Glencore, or that of Canadian Royalties, controlled by Chinese interests. Both companies operate deposits in the region.
“It worries us to see helicopters, because we know that there are exploration permits at the limits of the park. Some even ride the river. What will happen if they decide to dig and operate a mine? asks park warden Noah Annahatak.
It is true that this whole region has many active permits, according to what can be seen on the maps of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (MERN). For all of Nunavik, the department lists no less than 27,225 mining titles, which cover an area of 12,239 km2. Moreover, three mining projects are under development. This vast territory has been coveted by the industry for several decades. This left behind several abandoned exploration sites. The MERN now lists 11, but during an assessment conducted 20 years ago, before the site restoration program funded by the Quebec government, there were 162.
Youth and traditions
In this context, Inuit fear the prospect of seeing several mining projects see the light of day in Nunavik. Of course, industry creates jobs. But with the development of national park projects in recent years, many see the possibility of creating more sustainable jobs in ecotourism, while protecting territories essential to the practice of traditional subsistence activities such as hunting and fishing.
The duty was able to observe that Parc national des Pingualuit offers this type of exceptional outdoor experience, while allowing Aboriginal people to perpetuate their traditional way of life. “Parks Nunavik welcomes several groups of young people each year in the territory’s four national parks, as well as in the park pavilions located in the host communities. We therefore promote the practice of cultural and traditional activities. We also facilitate intergenerational exchange and the sharing of traditional knowledge through the participation of elders during activities with groups,” explains the assistant director, parks operations for the Kativik regional administration, Catherine Noiseux.
She adds that these parks, which are managed by the Inuit, generate significant economic benefits in the communities. But the protection of the territory remains a priority, underlines Mme Noiseux, met in Kuujjuaq. “National parks contribute to the conservation of natural environments and biodiversity,” she summarizes.
A point of view shared by the director general of the Society for Nature and Parks of Quebec (SNAP Quebec), Alain Branchaud. Already, he recalls, 20% of the territory of Nunavik is protected from industrial activities, which represents an area of more than 100,000 km2. But under the Act respecting the Société du Plan Nord, the Quebec government has undertaken to do much more. By 2035, 50% of the Plan Nord territory (which represents nearly 80% of Quebec, including all of Nunavik) must be devoted “to purposes other than industrial, environmental protection and of biodiversity”.
To achieve this, Mr. Branchaud believes that it is necessary to put an end to the precedence of industrial interests.
“If we continue to prioritize access to the territory for mining or energy resources, we will always be in this confrontation and we will always postpone the structuring decisions for the establishment of a network of protected areas. We should do the opposite by making significant gains in the protection of the territory to get closer to what science invites us to do to counter the biodiversity and climate crisis, ”argues the biologist.
Caution
In a context of already very real impacts of the climate crisis in Nunavik, and in particular on species such as the migratory caribou, Alain Branchaud pleads for greater caution in the management of this natural heritage. “We have to keep some leeway, for example for the caribou, whose migration patterns are changing. We must protect their migration corridors, calving grounds and all other important sectors in their life cycle. »
The situation of this species also reveals the trade-offs that will be necessary between industrial development and the protection of biodiversity and the Inuit way of life. Important habitats for cervids are in fact partly found in the vast region of the Labrador Trough, a highly coveted sector because of its mining potential.
What does the Government of Quebec intend to do to improve the protection of the territory occupied for centuries by the Inuit? “There are no protected area projects under development in Nunavik,” replies the Ministry of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change (MELCC).
However, the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks specifies that two national park projects are still in development. This is Iluiliq National Park, with an area of 778 km2, located at the northern end of Quebec, on the coast of Hudson Strait. It has already been recorded in the Register of Protected Areas of Quebec since 2008. “The next steps consist of developing a proposed boundary, zoning plan and development concept,” specifies the MELCC.
The other project, named Parc national de la Baie-aux-Feuilles, covers 3868 km2and it has been registered in the Register of protected areas since 2008. But in this case, says Alain Branchaud, the interests of the mining industry represent an obstacle to the realization of the project. He therefore urges the next government to act to carry out this project, which has made little progress since 2015, in the name of respect for the Inuit. “The protection of the territory is not only necessary for the preservation of biodiversity. It also serves to protect the culture of the occupants of the territory. »