- What are the economic, environmental, and cultural consequences of viewing Nunavut of the Territorial North as “Canada’s last frontier?” Are the frontier and homeland views of this region compatible with one v?
Nunavut is a massive territory in Canada with a population of over 30000 Inuit people. It experiences adverse weather conditions such as intense cold seasons, strong winds, hurricanes, and darkness. These factors affect visibility in the region. The stated weather conditions hinder accessibility and are not conducive to working. These arctic regions are, however, endowed with crude oil and natural gas. The quantity of crude oil available in the area is estimated to be around 150 billion barrels. This is a massive contribution to the natural resource wealth of Canada. Nunavut also contributes significantly to the Gross National Product of Canada, bringing in more than 2 billion (Carlson, 2018). It is the most economically sound region in Canada. Viewing Nunavut as Canada’s, the last frontier would be faulty and harm Canada’s economic image since oil mining is a pivotal contributor to Canada’s economy (Carlson, 2018). However, exploitation of this natural resource would have adverse effects on the environment since mining causes air pollution and affects the physical aspects of the environment.
The Inuit people living in the Nunavut region have, for centuries, preserved their language (Inuktitut), culture, and tradition. They have carried on with traditional activities like hunting and fishing (Bernauer, 2019). Their traditional music and carvings are also a significant part of their current practices. Viewing the region as Canada’s last frontier would, in a way, aid in the preservation of the deep-rooted culture.
The frontier and homeland views of the region are not compatible. Those in support of the homeland view consider the North to be their home and therefore support the conservation of the language, spiritual beliefs, and culture of the North. They are also concerned about the economic and political wellbeing of their home. It is for the above reasons that they protest against projects that they deem harmful, like the Muskrat Falls Hydroelectric Project. On the other hand, the frontier view focuses on the exploitation of natural resources present in the region (Kakabadse, 2015). the homeland view is concerned with the sustainability of the people’s indigenous lifestyle while the frontier view is more focused on development.
References
Carlson, J., Johnston, M., & Dawson, J. (2018). Territorial Economic Development Strategies in Nunavut: A Hindrance or a Help to Community Economic Development?. Journal of Rural and Community Development, 12(2-3).
Bernauer, W. (2019). The limits to extraction: mining and colonialism in Nunavut. Canadian Journal of Development Studies/Revue canadienne d’études du développement, 40(3), 404-422.
Kakabadse, Y. (2015). Frontier mentality has no place in the Arctic. Harvard International Review, 36(3), 55.