Northern business conference axed over opposition to NunatuKavut Community Council's involvement
CBC
For 16 years, the Northern Lights Business and Cultural Showcase has brought together artists and businesses from across Inuit Nunangat to network and develop partnerships.
But it's now being cancelled because of friction between recognized Inuit organizations, and the NunatuKavut Community Council.
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, as the national Inuit body, does not recognize NunatuKavut as an Inuit organization. It also disputes NunatuKavut's claims of Inuit identity.
It wrote a letter to the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce (BRCC) and Labrador North Chamber of Commerce (LNCC), who are behind the event, with concerns about NunatuKavut's participation going forward.
"With this letter, it has been suggested to us to not allow certain organizations to register," Julianne Griffin, LNCC's chief executive officer said.
Chris West, executive director of the BRCC based in Iqaluit, said other Inuit organizations in Nunavut also echoed ITK's concerns.
"We depend on them to pull off these events and without their financial support, which could have been jeopardized here, it will be difficult to host an event of that size," he said.
"While the event is never meant to be political, I think we get to a point sometimes where people make it political, and that's where we are today."
NunatuKavut represents roughly 6,000 self-identifying Inuit in south and central Labrador. The group identified itself as Métis until 2010.
West still remembers the tensions at last year's conference, at a luncheon sponsored by NunatuKavut.
"It was obvious that ITK and other Inuit groups were not at that lunch. There were empty tables in the room that were represented by ITK," he said.
He said the chamber wouldn't have been able to exclude NunatuKavut from the conference for legal reasons, but also because it goes against the event's ethos.
"We've never refused anybody from being involved in the event. The event's always been about bringing people together, building relationships and partnerships for the betterment of the North," he said.
That's a stance that Griffin also shares.
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