EDITORIAL & OPINION — COMMENTARY — Nunavut is born

On April 1, Canada’s Inuit population celebrated the realization of a longtime dream — the official birth of Nunavut, Canada’s first native-governed territory. But over the next few months, when the excitement about self-governance begins to subside, the 27,219 inhabitants of Nunavut will be faced with the harsh reality of life in Canada’s poorest and most remote jurisdiction.

The average income for residents of Nunavut is expected to be approximately 50% lower than the average income for residents living in other regions across Canada. This, combined with a cost of living that is 65% higher than in the rest of Canada and a limited number of jobs, means that many of the people living in Nunavut will have to rely on welfare cheques from Ottawa to survive. In fact, the federal government expects to pay $600 million to support the new territory in the first year alone.

Many people living in Canada’s southern regions watched the birth of Nunavut with skepticism. Criticism of the territory’s dependence on federal transfers and doubts about its ability to sustain itself were voiced by many.

Unlike many of my southern neighbours, I shared the excitement of our native Canadians on April 1. For this enormous, desolate region in Canada’s Far North does have potential to develop a healthy private sector. The inhabitants of Nunavut may be poor, but the land is rich in minerals, and mining may be the territory’s best hope for an economically vibrant future. Today, three mines produce lead, zinc, gold and silver in the territory, and Nunavut Tunngavik has developed a mining policy to attract exploration.

At the beginning of the 20th century, thousands of poor immigrants arrived in mining communities in Canada’s fledgling provinces with few possessions and big dreams. Like the residents of Nunavut, they faced an uncertain future filled with social and economic hardships.

But as the mines prospered, so did the communities. Mining played a crucial role in the early development of many of Canada’s provinces. If Nunanvut’s new government continues to encourage exploration and development, mining could also bring prosperity and community to Canada’s remote north.

— The author is the mayor of Timmins. He wrote this column at the request of Mining Works for Canada, a program designed to increase awareness of mining in this country.