Inuvialuit Settlement Region
Encyclopedia
The Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR), located in Canada’s western Arctic
, was designated in 1984
in the Inuvialuit Final Agreement by the Government of Canada
for the Inuvialuit
people. It spans 906430 km² (349,974.6 sq mi), mostly above the tree line, and includes several subregions: the Beaufort Sea
, the Mackenzie River
delta, the northern portion of Yukon
("Yukon North Slope"), the northwest portion of Northwest Territories
, and the western Canadian Arctic Islands. The ISR includes both Crown Lands
and Inuvialuit Private Lands.
The ISR is one of the four Inuit
regions of Northern Canada
represented by the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
(ITK). The other regions include Nunatsiavut
in Labrador
, Nunavik
in northern Quebec
, and the territory of Nunavut
. The ISR is the homeland of the Inuvialuit
. The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, established in 1986 as the receiver of the lands and financial compensation of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, is controlled by the Inuvialuit population and is responsible for ISR operations. Nellie Cournoyea
, former Premier of the Northwest Territories
is the current Chairman of the Board.
The Inuvialuit Settlement Region Database contains descriptions of thousands of publications and research projects about the ISR. It is maintained by the Joint Secretariat--Inuvialuit Renewable Resource Committees and the Arctic Science and Technology Information System. Funding comes from Shell Canada
and MGM Energy.
Inuvik
, located on the East Channel of the Mackenzie Delta, approximately 100 km (62.1 mi) from the Arctic Ocean
, is the region's administrative center, home to the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. The only other inland community, Aklavik
, is located on the Peel Channel and is home to Aurora College
. Hunting
, fishing
and trapping are the major economic activities of Paulatuk
, in Amundsen Gulf
's Darnley Bay
, and Sachs Harbour
, the only permanent settlement on Banks Island
. Tuktoyaktuk, formerly known as "Port Brabant", is set on Kugmallit Bay, near the Mackenzie River Delta. It has the only deepwater port in the ISR. Ulukhaktok
, formerly known as "Holman", is located on the west coast of Victoria Island. Printmaking has taken over as the primary source of income in recent years.
English is spoken in the entire region. Additionally, Siglitun
is spoken in Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour and Tuktoyaktuk. Uummarmiutun
is spoken in Inuvik and Aklavik. Inuinnaqtun
is spoken in Ulukhaktok and nowhere else in the Northwest Territories.
The Inuvialuit Renewable Resource Conservation and Management Plan sets the strategy for fish and wildlife management and conservation. Integrated management planning of the region's marine and coastal areas is described in the Beaufort Sea Integrated Management Planning Initiative. Wildlife includes Arctic charr, Arctic fox
, beluga whale, bearded seal
, bowhead whale
, caribou, moose
, muskox, polar bear
, ring seal, and whitefish
.
Migratory bird management within the ISR is handled by policies, principles, and regulations described in the Conservation of Migratory Birds in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region report.
, Herschel Island Territorial Park, Ivvavik National Park
, Pingo National Landmark
, and Tuktut Nogait National Park
. There are also four bird sanctuaries: Anderson River Delta Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Banks Island No. 1 Bird Sanctuary, Cape Perry Migratory Bird Sanctuary, and Kendall Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary
resources. There are proven commercial quantities of natural gas
, nickel
, petroleum
, and zinc
.
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
, was designated in 1984
1984 in Canada
-Incumbents:*Monarch: Elizabeth II*Governor General: Edward Schreyer then Jeanne Sauvé*Prime Minister: Pierre Trudeau then John Turner then Brian Mulroney*Premier of Alberta: Peter Lougheed*Premier of British Columbia: Bill Bennett...
in the Inuvialuit Final Agreement by the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
for the Inuvialuit
Inuvialuit
The Inuvialuit or Western Canadian Inuit are Inuit people who live in the western Canadian Arctic region. They, like all other Inuit, are descendants of the Thule who migrated eastward from Alaska...
people. It spans 906430 km² (349,974.6 sq mi), mostly above the tree line, and includes several subregions: the Beaufort Sea
Beaufort Sea
The Beaufort Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, and Alaska, west of Canada's Arctic islands. The sea is named after hydrographer Sir Francis Beaufort...
, the Mackenzie River
Mackenzie River
The Mackenzie River is the largest river system in Canada. It flows through a vast, isolated region of forest and tundra entirely within the country's Northwest Territories, although its many tributaries reach into four other Canadian provinces and territories...
delta, the northern portion of Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
("Yukon North Slope"), the northwest portion of Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
, and the western Canadian Arctic Islands. The ISR includes both Crown Lands
Crown land
In Commonwealth realms, Crown land is an area belonging to the monarch , the equivalent of an entailed estate that passed with the monarchy and could not be alienated from it....
and Inuvialuit Private Lands.
The ISR is one of the four Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
regions of Northern Canada
Northern Canada
Northern Canada, colloquially the North, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut...
represented by the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
The Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami is a nonprofit organization in Canada that represents over 50,400 Inuit. It was founded in 1971 by Tagak Curley as the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada...
(ITK). The other regions include Nunatsiavut
Nunatsiavut
Nunatsiavut is an autonomous area claimed by the Inuit in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The settlement area includes territory in Labrador extending to the Quebec border. In 2002, the Labrador Inuit Association submitted a proposal for limited autonomy to the government of Newfoundland and...
in Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
, Nunavik
Nunavik
Nunavik comprises the northern third of the province of Quebec, Canada. Covering a land area of 443,684.71 km² north of the 55th parallel, it is the homeland of the Inuit of Quebec...
in northern Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, and the territory of Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
. The ISR is the homeland of the Inuvialuit
Inuvialuit
The Inuvialuit or Western Canadian Inuit are Inuit people who live in the western Canadian Arctic region. They, like all other Inuit, are descendants of the Thule who migrated eastward from Alaska...
. The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, established in 1986 as the receiver of the lands and financial compensation of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, is controlled by the Inuvialuit population and is responsible for ISR operations. Nellie Cournoyea
Nellie Cournoyea
Nellie Cournoyea, OC is a former Canadian politician, who served as the sixth Premier of the Northwest Territories from 1991 to 1995...
, former Premier of the Northwest Territories
Premier of the Northwest Territories
The Premier of the Northwest Territories is the first minister for the Northwest Territories,Canada. He or she is the territory's head of government and de facto chief executive, although the powers of the office are considerably less than those of a provincial premier.Unlike provincial premiers,...
is the current Chairman of the Board.
The Inuvialuit Settlement Region Database contains descriptions of thousands of publications and research projects about the ISR. It is maintained by the Joint Secretariat--Inuvialuit Renewable Resource Committees and the Arctic Science and Technology Information System. Funding comes from Shell Canada
Shell Canada
Shell Canada Limited is the subsidiary of Dutch-based Royal Dutch Shell and one of Canada's largest integrated oil companies. Exploration and production of oil, natural gas and sulphur is a major part of its business, as well as the marketing of gasoline and related products through the company's...
and MGM Energy.
Culture
In 2003, the ISR population was 5,600 people, of which 3,300 were Inuvialuit. There are no communities in the Yukon North Slope. Of the six communities that do exist in the ISR all are located in the Northwest Territories.Inuvik
Inuvik, Northwest Territories
Inuvik is a town in the Northwest Territories of Canada and is the administrative centre for the Inuvik Region.The population as of the 2006 Census was 3,484, but the two previous census counts show wide fluctuations due to economic conditions: 2,894 in 2001 and 3,296 in 1996...
, located on the East Channel of the Mackenzie Delta, approximately 100 km (62.1 mi) from the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
, is the region's administrative center, home to the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. The only other inland community, Aklavik
Aklavik, Northwest Territories
Aklavik is a hamlet located in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Until 1961, the community served as the regional administrative centre for the territorial government...
, is located on the Peel Channel and is home to Aurora College
Aurora College
Aurora College, formerly Arctic College, is a college in the Northwest Territories, Canada with campuses in Inuvik, Fort Smith and Yellowknife. They have learning centres in 23 communities in the NWT. The head office for Aurora College is located in Fort Smith.-Mission:*Aurora College is dedicated...
. Hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and trapping are the major economic activities of Paulatuk
Paulatuk, Northwest Territories
Paulatuk is a hamlet located in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is located adjacent to Darnley Bay, in the Amundsen Gulf...
, in Amundsen Gulf
Amundsen Gulf
Amundsen Gulf is a gulf located in Canadian Northwest Territories, between Banks Island and Victoria Island and the mainland . It is approximately in length and about across where it meets the Beaufort Sea....
's Darnley Bay
Darnley Bay
Darnley Bay is a large inlet in the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is a southern arm of the Amundsen Gulf. The bay measures long, and wide at its mouth.The Parry Peninsula is to the west and Halcro Point is to the east...
, and Sachs Harbour
Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories
Sachs Harbour is a hamlet located in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Situated on the southwestern coast of Banks Island in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, the population according to the 2006 census count was 122 people. The two principal languages in the town are...
, the only permanent settlement on Banks Island
Banks Island
One of the larger members of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Banks Island is situated in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is separated from Victoria Island to its east by the Prince of Wales Strait and from the mainland by Amundsen Gulf to its south. The Beaufort Sea lies...
. Tuktoyaktuk, formerly known as "Port Brabant", is set on Kugmallit Bay, near the Mackenzie River Delta. It has the only deepwater port in the ISR. Ulukhaktok
Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories
Ulukhaktok is a small hamlet on the west coast of Victoria Island, in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. The 2006 census indicated a population of 398 of which 360 were Inuvialuit or Inuit along with 7.5% non-Aboriginal and 2.5% North American Indian...
, formerly known as "Holman", is located on the west coast of Victoria Island. Printmaking has taken over as the primary source of income in recent years.
English is spoken in the entire region. Additionally, Siglitun
Siglitun
The Siglit dialect, or Siglitun, is the dialect of Inuvialuk language spoken by the Siglit Inuit. It is mainly used in the communities of Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour and Tuktoyaktuk...
is spoken in Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour and Tuktoyaktuk. Uummarmiutun
Uummarmiutun
Uummarmiutun or Canadian Iñupiaq is the variant of Iñupiaq spoken by the Uummarmiut, part of the Inuvialuit, who live mainly in the communities of Inuvik and Aklavik in the Northwest Territories of Canada....
is spoken in Inuvik and Aklavik. Inuinnaqtun
Inuinnaqtun
Inuinnaqtun , is an indigenous Inuit language of Canada and a dialect of Inuvialuktun. It is related very closely to Inuktitut, and some scholars, such as Richard Condon, believe that Inuinnaqtun is more appropriately classified as a dialect of Inuktitut...
is spoken in Ulukhaktok and nowhere else in the Northwest Territories.
Wildlife
Arctic fox
The arctic fox , also known as the white fox, polar fox or snow fox, is a small fox native to Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is common throughout the Arctic tundra biome. The Greek word alopex, means a fox and Vulpes is the Latin version...
, beluga whale, bearded seal
Bearded Seal
The bearded seal , also called the square flipper seal, is a medium-sized pinniped that is found in and near to the Arctic Ocean. It gets its generic name from two Greek words that refer to its heavy jaw...
, bowhead whale
Bowhead Whale
The bowhead whale is a baleen whale of the right whale family Balaenidae in suborder Mysticeti. A stocky dark-colored whale without a dorsal fin, it can grow to in length. This thick-bodied species can weigh to , second only to the blue whale, although the bowhead's maximum length is less than...
, caribou, moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, muskox, polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
, ring seal, and whitefish
Freshwater whitefish
The freshwater whitefish are fish of the subfamily Coregoninae in the salmon family Salmonidae. Along with the freshwater whitefish, the Salmonidae includes the freshwater and anadromous trout and salmon species as well as graylings...
.
Migratory bird management within the ISR is handled by policies, principles, and regulations described in the Conservation of Migratory Birds in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region report.
Protected areas
There are several protected parks and bird sanctuaries in the ISR. There are five parks: Aulavik National ParkAulavik National Park
Aulavik National Park is a national park located on Banks Island in the Northwest Territories of Canada. It is known for its access to the Thomsen River, one of the most northerly navigable rivers in North America. The park is a fly-in park, and protects approximately of Arctic Lowlands at the...
, Herschel Island Territorial Park, Ivvavik National Park
Ivvavik National Park
Ivvavik National Park is a national park located in the Yukon, Canada. Meaning "nursery" or "birthplace" in Inuvialuktun, this was the first national park to be established as a result of a land claim agreement with its natives.-See also:...
, Pingo National Landmark
Pingo National Landmark
Pingo National Landmark is a natural area protecting eight pingos near Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories. It is in a coastal region of the Arctic Ocean which contains approximately 1,350 Arctic ice dome hills—approximately one quarter of the world's pingos.The Landmark comprises an area...
, and Tuktut Nogait National Park
Tuktut Nogait National Park
Tuktut Nogait National Park is a national park located in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Meaning "young caribou" in Inuvialuktun, the park contains many herds of caribou. However, it is also the home to other wildlife species, such as Musk Ox, Grizzly Bears, Arctic char, and the Grey Wolf...
. There are also four bird sanctuaries: Anderson River Delta Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Banks Island No. 1 Bird Sanctuary, Cape Perry Migratory Bird Sanctuary, and Kendall Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Kendall Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary
The Kendall Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary is a migratory bird sanctuary in the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is located on Kendall Island and its surrounding area in Mackenzie Bay at the northern tip of the Mackenzie River Delta. A seasonal sanctuary for more than 60,000 shorebirds. it is...
Natural resources
The ISR's Inuvialuit Private Lands are divided into those where the Inuvialuit own surface and subsurface minerals, or those lands with only surface rights. The area is rich in non-renewable hydrocarbonHydrocarbon
In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons from which one hydrogen atom has been removed are functional groups, called hydrocarbyls....
resources. There are proven commercial quantities of natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
, nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
, petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
, and zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
.