P.J. Akeeagok’s speech for the HMCS Harry DeWolf media conference
I want to welcome Commander Richard Feltham, Director General of the Naval Force Development, and Commanding Officer, Commander Corey Gleason, in charge of the future HMCS Harry DeWolf, to the Qikiqtani region of Nunavut. Tunngasugit Iqalunnut.
Today, we embark on a new chapter in Arctic sovereignty, a chapter marked by dialogue and cooperation.
In this spirit of reconciliation, the Qikiqtani Inuit Association welcomes the future HMCS Harry DeWolf.
Our hope is that our region’s affiliation with this ship and its crew afford the Canadian Navy an opportunity to learn more about Qikiqtani Inuit.
In turn, we hope that the presence of the ship and its crew in our waters, will allow Inuit a chance to interact more closely, on a human level, with members of the Canadian navy.
Inuit are coastal people – all of the 13 communities within the Qikiqtani region are coastal communities – that rely heavily on marine areas.
As coastal people, Inuit have a vested interest in the operations and duties of navy ships deployed in the Inuit Nunangat.
Qikiqtani Inuit have been an integral part of Canada’s efforts to establish sovereignty in the Arctic. From Sanikiluaq on the Belcher Islands to Grise Fiord, in the High Arctic, Inuit were relocated to various communities to establish Canada’s presence in the region.
Many people in our communities face intergenerational trauma from being subjected to such colonial policies and practices.
These doctrines were dictated by Ottawa, and often carried out by uniformed officers representing the wishes of the Canadian government.
Inuit were left out of decision making.
As such, for many Inuit, a uniform, has not always been a welcome sight.
Qikiqtani communities want to be more aware of what is happening in the name of Canadian sovereignty in our backyards. We want to be better acquainted with the men and women who are deployed to protect our waters.
Cooperative efforts, like today’s announcement, signal a change in attitude and an openness to dialogue and cooperation.
Over the next several years, the Harry DeWolf and her crew will build ties with Qikiqtani communities during routine operations. I hope that these interactions foster a new relationship between Qikiqtani Inuit and the Canadian navy – a relationship based on mutual respect and trust.
Qujannamiik
