Nunavut group launches uranium mining petition

A new citizen's group in Nunavutwants the territorial government to hold a public inquiry into uranium exploration and mining.

A petition calling for the inquiry was introduced Saturday at the public launch of Nunavummiut Makitagunarningit, a new non-governmental organization that aims to provide a public forum on uranium development in the territory.

About 40 people, including civil servants and prominent local citizens, attended the group's launch meeting in Iqaluit on Saturday.

Nunavummiut Makitagunarningit which means "Nunavummiut can rise up" in Inuktitut was formed "just so that the residents of Nunavut feel there's more of a democratic process on such an important issue," said Sandra Inutiq, one of the group's six founding members.

Among those who attended was longtime Iqaluit businessman Kenn Harper, who told the audience he welcomes a forum to express dissent about uranium development.

Many others declined to comment on the record about why they were were attending the meeting, but dozens of people signed the petition as it began circulating.

"We're urging the Nunavut legislative assembly to hold a public inquiry on uranium mining, to hear different points of view," Inutiq said.

There are currently more than 20 companies actively exploring the territory for uranium.

Nunavut's Inuit land-claims organization, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., approved a policy in 2007 that supports uranium development under certain conditions.

Areva Resources Canada Inc. has proposed developing a uranium mine at its Kiggavik site, located about 80 kilometres west of the community of Baker Lake. Environmental regulators are currently reviewing the company's application.

Barry McCallum, Areva's manager of Nunavut affairs, flew from Saskatoon to Iqaluit to observe the group's inaugural meeting.

"Uranium tends to spark more interest than most types of mining, so a group that's formed to discuss it is not at all unexpected," McCallum said.

Inutiq said Nunavummiut Makitagunarningit will circulate the petition to all of Nunavut's 25 communities before it is presented to territorial politicans.