
Before the arrival of Europeans, Inuit and their ancestors were the only permanent inhabitants in the Canadian Arctic. They have been continuously using the Arctic lands, sea and sea ice for subsistence needs since time immemorial.
As Arctic waterways are gradually opening under the impacts of climate change, conflicts between the large-scale Arctic commercial shipping activities and the small-scale Inuit subsistence practices tend to raise more concerns. But from a historical perspective, Inuit and commercial shipping are not incompatible. Inuit have been actively involved in shipping activities and contributed to the discovery, exploration and exploitation of the Arctic waters by early Europeans.
As early as in the 1570s, Sir Martin Frobisher discovered the Baffin Island and made early contact with Inuit. Inuit showed European explorers the way to the eastern Arctic and provided them with some guidance to survive in the harsh Arctic marine environment. The commercial whaling industry then expanded to and developed in the Tallurutiup Imanga (Lancaster Sound) region, which has been historically used by Inuit for hunting, fishing and subsistence practices. Inuit communities provided a critical support system for whalers, which included clothing, food, and advice.
In the 19th century, with rapid growth of the fur trade, trading posts, which located on coastal places that were suitable for ships to anchor, introduced more commercial shipping activities to the Arctic. Inuit started to travel for hundreds of miles to trading posts and exchange their goods, such as fur, whale bone, and fish, with European traders for food, sugar, tea and weapon.
Since the 1970s, the retreating Arctic sea ice has been marking the beginning of a new era with a potential for more Arctic shipping activities, such as fishing, cruise ship tourism, resource extraction and transportation. Inuit continue to play an important role in these emerging industries. One typical example is Inuit communities (e.g., Pond Inlet) have been made as preferred destinations for expedition tourism.
In essence, Inuit have always been an integral part of the development of the commercial Arctic shipping industry. But shipping has brought risks and negative impacts on Arctic marine environment and Inuit communities. As early as in the 1980s, Inuit expressed their concerns over icebreaking activities and their associated impacts on Inuit food and other requirements.
However, for a long time, the importance of Inuit participation in Arctic shipping governance was not sufficiently recognized. Even the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS, 1982), which is described as a “constitution for the oceans,” has failed to engage indigenous peoples and recognize indigenous rights and sovereignty in marine spaces.
Inuit have been in the process of asserting inherent rights, and they have made some achievements. In November 2021, the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) received a Provisional Consultative Status in the International Maritime Organization (IMO). This inclusion is considered a victory for Inuit, as their marine and maritime interests are recognized in national and international arenas. ICC can bring in Inuit knowledge to inform IMO’s decisions on several Inuit-concerned issues, such as underwater noise, safe shipping corridors, invasive species and grey water discharge.
Inuit knowledge and experience can also contribute to shipping governance in the Canadian Arctic from several perspectives:
- Inuit knowledge can fill the gap of the lack of baseline data in the Arctic marine environment.
- Inuit knowledge can support first response regarding emergencies such as oil spills, and search and rescue.
- Inuit’s continuous uses of marine space and their engagement in Arctic shipping form the foundation of Canada’s claim on Arctic sovereignty and can inform policy-making for Arctic shipping.
Looking forward, the governance of Arctic marine traffic requires an integrated and holistic framework to recognize Inuit as rightsholders and meaningfully involve Inuit through reconciliation and partnership-building.