G7 finance leaders to experience Inuit culture

Some Inuit in Nunavut say they hope international leaders will learn more about their culture one that includes seal pelts and meat at the G7 meeting this weekend in Iqaluit.

Group of Seven finance ministers and central bank governors from Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States will begin the meeting Friday in the Nunavut capital.

The two-day meeting will end Saturday evening with a community feast that will include Inuit games, music and step-dancing, along with a feast of seal meat, Arctic char and other traditional foods.

The European Union is in the process of banning trade in seal products, but G7 delegates from Britain, Germany, France and Italy will face reminders of the Inuit seal hunt throughout the weekend.

"They'll get to see the traditional side of how we live, you know. Like, that's very important," said Emily Karpik of Pangnirtung, a community on Baffin Island.

"They need to see who we are and learn from us, so it's good that they're coming."

Karpik and others said they hope the Iqaluit meeting will help G7 officials and others understand the importance of the seal hunt to Inuit, who have relied on seals for food and clothing for generations.

Sealskin-covered chairs, gifts

In addition to being offered seal meat for dinner, the finance ministers and bankers will sit on sealskin-upholstered chairs during their meetings in the Nunavut legislative assembly.

As well, they will be given sealskin mittens and vests as parting gifts.

Kootoo Shaw of Iqaluit said he's hoping the leaders will enjoy their exposure to Inuit life.

"And hopefully they ask for more," he added.

Inuit organizations in Canada and Greenland are taking the European Union to court over its seal import ban, while the Canadian government has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization.

However, federal officials say Finance Minister Jim Flaherty will not lobby the European ministers about lifting the ban during this weekend's talks.

Several hundred guests including finance ministers, bankers, support staff and international media are arriving in Iqaluit in advance of the meeting, which will begin withjournalists and dignitaries going on dogsledtours along the shore ofFrobisher Bay on Thursday and Friday.

Sarah McNair-Landry, who will lead one of four dog teams, said it may bethe only opportunity for the high-level guests to get out on the land during their visit.

"There's lots of organization involved, pre-planning so everything runs smoothly, but it should be exciting to get to take the G7 ministers out dogsledding," she said. "It's not every day you get to meet them."