Northwest Passage Hold ’Em

Asserting sovereignty in the Arctic is a key feature of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s northern policy. His government is pursuing this goal by strengthening Canada’s military presence in the region, investing in “world class” research facilities in Nunavut and building a new polar class icebreaker to be named the John G. Diefenbaker. There is no doubt about the prime minister’s commitment. In the midst of a global recession and mounting federal deficits, his government has committed hundreds of millions of dollars to sovereignty assertion initiatives. But where do Inuit, the region’s permanent residents, fit into all of this?

Mary Simon, former president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the national Inuit organization, has said “sovereignty begins at home.” She is right. The presence in the Arctic of Inuit who have occupied the region for generations uncounted, and the full integration of Nunavut—about 22 percent of the country—into Canada through implementation of the...