From the time that the Europeans stepped foot onto the Americas, indigenous people have been exploited, ignored, and abused for simply existing. Their land has been stolen from them and many of their languages and cultures are at risk of being erased. Indigenous people also face disproportionately high rates of addiction, alcoholism, and other public health problems. Nunavut, Canada has some of the country’s highest suicide rates, and a housing crisis that has resulted in decades of overcrowding and overall poor health. For centuries indigenous groups have been trying to make their voices heard, and governments have mostly dismissed these efforts and the social issues facing these communities. However, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with the Canadian government, will be breaking this history by doing the largest land transfer in Canadian history over to the residents of Nunavut.

Nunavut was established in 1999 through the Nunavut Agreement, and its population is almost entirely composed of Inuits. Along with the Northwest Territories and Yukon, Nunavut is a territory, not a province. This means that it has no inherent sovereignty and only has powers given by the federal government. 

In January, Prime Minister Trudeau visited Nunavut to sign the Nunavut Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement. This agreement will transfer power over public lands, water, and other resources from the federal government to the people of Nunavut. They will have the right to decide what is done with their own natural resources and minerals and have jurisdiction over the royalties of these activities; these powers and royalties will no longer belong to the federal government. 

This transfer, also called a devolution, of the Nunavut territory has been in development for several years. Negotiation protocol for this devolution was signed in 2008, and the official negotiations for the transfer began in 2014. The Canadian government and the Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (the legal representative of the Nunavut Inuits for treaty purposes) reached an agreement on devolution in 2019, but it was not legally binding. However, it did serve as a stepping stone toward the final contract. It took multiple years to develop a strategy to ensure that Nunavut had the human resources to be able to manage its own land and environment, but Trudeau officially signed the agreement in January. The completion of the transfer is set for April 1, 2027. In fact, Yukon and the Northwest Territories also went through the same process years ago

For decades, Canada’s indigenous groups (the First Nations, Inuits, and Métis), have had to make choices between economic development and environmental protection, as Nunavut is rich in minerals and natural resources that are in high demand. Projects to develop these desired natural resources would often take place in Nunavut. They often had low economic returns and devastating social, cultural, and environmental effects. Indigenous people have borne the brunt of resource development for decades, but the Canadian government has increasingly recognized Indigenous sovereignty in the north of the country.  This land transfer will grant indigenous people full control over resource development. Since Nunavut is the coldest region in Canada and lacks a lot of infrastructure, such as improper housing, Inuit control will ensure that development projects are beneficial to their well-being. This community is especially focusing on creating wealth and protecting the natural environment, including marine life. They will go from needing to choose between environmental protection and economic development, to being able to enact projects that address both these needs.  

Giving Inuits control over their land will also mean that they will practice economically sustainable activities, whether it's a project to use the territory’s minerals for economic growth, building infrastructure, or making improvements to the health of the population. Indigenous groups have always been passionate about protecting the biodiversity of their land. According to Valérie Courtois, director of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative, “Indigenous peoples are proven stewards of biodiversity, and Indigenous Guardians are on the ground caring for land and water we all depend on.” Indigenous people do not just care passionately about their land, but it is also ingrained in indigenous languages and cultures to be well-acquainted with the biodiversity around them, as it has traditionally been necessary for survival. Western scientific knowledge has had a habit of viewing indigenous knowledge as less prestigious, and Western scientists have historically ignored indigenous efforts to preserve biodiversity. 

Last year, the Indigenous Leadership Initiative announced the launch of the First Nations National Guardians Network to promote jobs for indigenous people to be park wardens and environmental monitors in order to protect their territories. Chief Doug Neasloss from the Kitasoo/Xaixais nation in British Columbia declared a Marine Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area in their territory because they felt the federal government was exhausting the supply of fish. Indigenous groups have also protested against the nationwide subsidization of fossil fuels, with signs such as “Indigenous Genocide = Ecocide; To Save Biodiversity Stop Invading Our lands”. Similar actions are being taken across the Americas. In order to protect 98 percent of their territory, or 1.3 million square kilometers of rainforest, the Wampis people of the northwest Amazon rainforest (Ecuador and Peru) established the Autonomous Territorial Government of the Wampis Nation in 2015. Wampis member Teofilo Kukush Pati explained, “Our territory is the heritage of our ancestors.” Returning Nunavut to the Inuits will bring with it increased protection of the region’s natural resources, and biodiversity, which are increasingly threatened by climate change. Given the way indigenous groups are dedicated to protecting the biodiversity of their land, this land transfer will ensure that Nunavut’s resources are not exploited. 

This land transfer is undoubtedly a huge milestone for indigenous peoples; indigenous communities are finally having their land returned to them after it was stolen decades ago. If other governments decide to follow what the Canadian government is doing, indigenous groups across the Americas will be granted more rights, and visibility, which could alleviate many of the social issues that indigenous communities are grappling with. Given the examples related to biodiversity above, empowering indigenous communities will undoubtedly create huge advances in the protection of natural resources and biodiversity, which continue to be threatened day by day. Canada’s Inuit peoples are finally getting the autonomy they deserve, and therefore the ecosystems, natural resources, and potentially other indigenous communities will benefit from it. In the Inuktitut language, Nunavut means “our land,” and that phrase is finally becoming a reality.