Arctic RegionLife in the North7

CHAPTER

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What would it be like to live on another planet? SamsonOotoovak knows what it might be like to live on Mars! Samson

is an Inuk, and grew up in the Arctic region. He knows about living inextreme environments. When he was an engineering student, Samsonjoined the Haughton-Mars Project.

With a group of scientists from around the world, Samson lived ina research station on Devon Island, an island in Nunavut. They testedtechnology that was being developed for use on Mars. They studiedthe island’s landscape and climate. They saw the sun cast shadowsover the land. They felt bone-chilling winds whip in from the ArcticOcean, and they watched sea ice float away from the coast.

The landscape and climate of Canada’s Far North has more incommon with Mars than with any other place on Earth. Scientistsbelieve that by studying places such as Devon Island, we can learnhow to live on Mars and in other extreme places!

Samson has said

he would like to

be the first Inuk

astronaut!

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Canada: Our Stories Continue

Inquiring Minds

Here are some questions to guide your inquiry forthis chapter:

• Explain how different communities have adaptedto the climate and geography of the region.

• Has change always been good for people in theArctic? Explain.

Canada’s Arctic region is sometimes called the land of themidnight sun. The Inuit who live in Nunavut, the mainterritory in the region, call the area “our land.” The regionhas rocky valleys, high sea cliffs, thick ice, huge snowdrifts,and frozen lakes. People who live in this region have to beprepared for extreme cold; long, dark winters; and endlesssunshine in summer!

?

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? Critical Inquiry TIP

Creating

Electronic files, journals,and photos are somedifferent ways you mightuse technology to recordinformation.

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Let’s Explore the Arctic

ContwoytoLake

Mackenzie

River

Inuvik

Tuktoyaktuk

NORTHWESTTERRITORIES

YUKONTERRITORY

BRITISH COLUMBIA

ALBERTA

BanksIsland

Great BearLake

BeaufortSea

AmundsenGulf

ARCTICOCEAN

Legend

Elevation

5000 m

200500100020003000

sea level

Ice cap

Provincial orterritorial capital

TownsArctic Circle

Tree line

International boundary

Provincial or territorialboundary

60ºN

105ºW120ºW

120ºW

135ºW

150ºW

165ºW

ArcticCircle

0 300 600

kilometres

ALASKA(United States)The aurora borealis, or northern

lights, provide a colourful displayin the northern night sky formuch of the year.

192

Hello! My name is KatieTikivik. I am Inuk, and I livein Arviat, in Nunavut.Arviat is on the coast ofHudson Bay.

Thinking It Through

■ Look at the map and the photos of this region. Whatchallenges does the geography of the Arctic regionpresent to the people who live here?

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Inuit whalers search forbeluga whales in theMackenzie Delta. In Canadatoday, some First Nations arethe only groups legallyallowed to hunt whales. Inthe Arctic, the hunt ismanaged by the Inuit andthe government.

Iqaluit is the capital ofNunavut.

Region!

Thelon River

Back River

Ellice River

Iglulik

Baker Lake

Alert

Pangnirtung

Cape Dorset

Iqaluit

Arviat

NUNAVUT

MANITOBA

QUÉBEC

Baff inIs land

SouthamptonIsland

DevonIsland

VictoriaIsland

Elle

smer

eIs

land

BaffinBay

Foxe

Basin

HudsonBay

Davis

Strait

Hudson Strait

Cumberland Sound

Frobisher Bay

Nar

esSt

rait

N

S

W E

Queen Elizabeth

Parry Islands

IslandsGrise Fiord

60ºN

75ºN

90ºW

90ºW

75ºW

60ºW

45ºW

105ºW

W

75ºW

Long distances betweencommunities in this regionmean that most goods arriveby airplane. How might thisaffect ways of life in thisregion?

193

■ Make a chart to record the latitude and longitude ofIqaluit, Inuvik, Alert, and Katie’s community, Arviat. Whatdo you notice about the latitude readings?

Skill Smart

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The Arctic region includes a thin band of land along thecoasts of the Yukon and the Northwest Territories, as well asall of Nunavut. There are desolate areas such as DevonIsland, but other parts of the region have tundra,mountains, rivers, and lakes. Muskox, wolves, caribou, fox,and polar bears are found in this region. Whales, seals, andmany kinds of fish are found in the rivers, lakes, and ocean.These animals have always provided the Inuit with whatthey need to survive.

Roots of the RegionThe Inuit have always lived in this region. The traditionalland of the Inuit has always been in what is now Nunavut,and in the many islands of the region. Inuit also live in thecoastal areas of the Northwest Territories and the Yukon.

Europeans were first drawn to the North by the promiseof a sea route to the Pacific. This route would later be calledthe Northwest Passage. Whaling stations were establishedalong the coast, but were only used in summer, when shipscould sail in the ice-free water. The possibility that theregion might be rich in copper and gold encouragedEuropeans to explore the interior.

Why People Live Here TodayThe Inuit continue to live in the region, as do thedescendants of some of the Europeans who came to theregion long ago. Other people come from the southern parts of Canada to work in the Arctic region.

The region has many natural resources such as copper,gold, zinc, and oil. Mining for diamonds is beginning inNunavut. People work in service industries, or for thegovernment. The natural beauty of the region and outdooractivities are enjoyed by many residents.

The Arctic Region

Voicesof Canada

A Sea Poem

The great seaHas sent me adrift;It moves meLike a reed in a great

river.

Uvavnuk, an Iglulik woman,recorded by Knud Rasmussen inthe 1800s

Some of the islands in myregion are the largest inthe world! I wonder whatthe other big islands inCanada are.

The Arctic region has shortsummers, but the Arctic poppycan still grow there. What otherplants grow in this region?

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Tourists visit the region and buy jewellery, carvings,and paintings made by local people. A lot of Inuitart tells about the land, water, and animals that canbe found in the Arctic region. Shops help thecommunity and support the artists.

Tourists who come to Ellesmere Island NationalPark arrive by helicopter. Here they can seeglaciers, muskox, and Arctic fox—on Canada’smost northerly island. Parks in this region protectrare plants and endangered wildlife.

The long distances between communities andcamps in the Arctic region mean that people needto use different technologies to find their way asthey travel. People sometimes travel overland or onthe water, and there are not many roads. GlobalPositioning System (GPS) technology can helptravellers find their way home.

Thinking It Through

■ How might the land, water, other natural resources, andclimate affect the type of work people do in Canada’sArctic region?

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What Affects Quality of Lifein the Arctic Region?

Here is how the land, water, other natural resources, and climateaffect quality of life for some people in the Arctic region.

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Katie’s Inquiry

■ Brainstorm two questions you have about the Arcticregion with a partner. Record your questions on thecomputer. Save your work so you can go back to this filewhen you have information to add.

Skill Smart

My dad works for the Government of Canada. He goeson trips to different parks in the Arctic region. He workswith local people to set up visitor centres, writeguidebooks, or design Web sites about the land,animals, trees, and plants in the park. He also finds outstories about the people who have lived there in thepast, and people who still live there today.

My dad just sent me a postcard from Qaummaarviit[how-mar-veet] Territorial Historic Park. It is on BaffinIsland, near Iqaluit. How our ancestors lived long ago isshown by evidence found in the park.

The postcards make me want to ask:• Why did people choose to live there?• How can I learn more about them?• Is life different in the area today? How?

I’m going to ask my dad if hecan take some photographs, too.

Until he gets back, I’m going tovisit the library and look for

answers to my questions. I’ll alsoe-mail my cousins in Iqaluit to see if

they can help. Then I’ll create apresentation to show what I havelearned.

? Critical Inquiry TIP

Retrieving

Postcards, brochures, andguidebooks may provideinformation about the land,people, and history of anarea.

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SKILLPOWER Sharing Information

with Others

When Katie prepared her presentation, she thought about the bestway to share information. There are a few things to think about whenmaking a presentation or a display.

Practise the Skill 1. Plan a presentation about a park or historical site in the Arctic

region. Consider your purpose, your audience, and a creative way topresent your information to your audience.

? ??Why?

Why are you sharing your information?

Are you trying to• persuade?• inform?• entertain?• examine?

Who?

Who are the peopleyou will bepresenting to?

• classmates?• family members?• friends?• strangers?• Elders?• teachers?

What?

What will you use to present yourinformation?

• an essay?• an oral

presentation?• a song?• a poem?• a dance?• a PowerPoint or

multimediapresentation?

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Where Do People Live in the ArcticRegion?

198

Voices of Canada

Arviat

This student at Nunavut Arctic College has watched her community grow.

I’ve been living in Arviat since I was born. As I grow up,everything changes very slowly and we see new people. Thepopulation is getting bigger, but they still have their culture.

Albina Aggark, Arviat, 1989

Many of the people who live in the Arctic region are Inuit.The Inuit have always lived along the coastal areas anddeep inlets of this region. People traditionally lived wherethey could find the resources they needed to survive. Today,many Inuit are working hard to preserve traditional ways oflife, such as hunting and fishing, culture, and language.

Most settlements in the Arctic region are along thecoast. There are very few settlements inland. Why do youthink there are so few Inuit settlements inland? What doesthis tell you about the traditional ways of life of the Inuit?

I am Inuk, and myancestors have alwayslived in Canada’s Arcticregion. I wonder whyother groups of peoplehave come here.

The Population ofthe North• The Arctic region

makes up more than20 percent ofCanada’s land area,but less than 22 000people live in theregion. That is lessthan one tenth ofone percent!

• The Inuit make up more than 85 percent of thepopulation ofNunavut.

More About. . .

Cape Dorset is located on Baffin Island. What are the advantages of the locationof Cape Dorset? Why would this be a good place for a settlement?

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Inuit CommunitiesFor the Inuit, the birds, animals, sea, mountains, tundra,and ice were part of everyday life. From their environment,the Inuit obtained everything they needed to live. Theydeveloped ways of dealing with extreme cold and frozenland. They lived with the environment, understanding andrespecting the animals, weather, seasons, land, sea, and ice.

The bison were an important resource for the FirstNations of the plains. Just as important to the Inuit areseals, walrus, fish, and caribou. These animals providedfood, clothing, cooking oil, and other items. The Inuittravelled along the coast, hunting and fishing. They usedtents in the summer and igluit (iglus) in the winter forshelter. What do the Voices of Canada on this page tellabout Inuit ways of life?

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Voices of Canada

Inuit Families

Each family spent much of the yeartravelling, setting up camps wherever foodwas available. Extended families were veryimportant and would gather with otherswhen the seasons and availability of foodpermitted. These were times of great joyand feasting—times for stories, singing,drumming, eating, playing, and chatting.

Rachel Attituq Qitsualik, Pond Inlet, 1999

Voicesof Canada

Sheila Watt-Cloutiertravelled by dogsled whenshe was a child.

My earliest memories arebeing connected to therhythms and cycles ofnature through thetraditional way oftraveling on the dogteamthrough this vast,majestic, wonderfularctic land.

Sheila Watt-Cloutier, 2006

How might new and largercommunities affect the caribouherds and the people whodepend on them?

Many Inuit continue with traditional ways, but also usemodern technology. How might this be reflected in theircommunities?

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Inuit Communities in the PastInuit lands have always stretched across what is nowGreenland, Russia, Alaska, and Canada. The Inuit livedand worked together with their families. Elders and otheradults taught young children the ways of the land, animals,and how to survive in the Arctic. Groups followed andhunted caribou, and travelled to other areas to fish,depending on the season.

Parents and grandparents had many ways to teach theirchildren how to survive in the North. Games, songs, dances,art, and storytelling were some of the ways. Duringsummer, families would teach their children how to maketools out of parts of seal, walrus, whale, and other animals.Children gathered eggs from the nests of wild birds on thetundra. Summer homes were tents made of seal or caribouskins. In winter, several families would camp together andmake their igluit.

The arrival of Europeans in the 1800s brought changesto this way of life. New products such as guns, pots, andcloth made Inuit life easier. Many Inuit gave up theirtraditional lifestyle and set up permanent settlements near European whaling stations. They began working forEuropeans so they could get the goods they wanted.

Voicesof Canada

A Way of Life Changes

In 1958, the Inuittraditional way of lifebegan changing. The firstschool was opened [inBaker Lake]. Becauseparents did not want tobe separated from theirchildren, they startedmoving to thecommunity while theirchildren attended school.They started gathering inthe settlement of BakerLake.

Barnabas Peryouar, Baker Lake,1991

Pangnirtung is beside a deep fjordon Baffin Island. It began as awhaling station.

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M a k i n g a D i f f e r e n c e

Tracking Wildlife in Nunavut

The Nunavut Wildlife Management Board (NWMB) works

to keep track of the wildlife in Nunavut. The project relies

on youth, Elders, and scientists to ensure the protection

and wise use of wildlife and the environment in Nunavut.

The Elders contribute their wisdom about animals, and

scientists add their scientific knowledge. This Board

enables the Inuit to be involved in decision making about

preserving the land and animals. They also have a say in

the future development of Nunavut.

Some projects the NWMB have paid for include determining the range of

caribou, the number of polar bears in a certain area, and identifying the types of

whales found in the north. The NWMB provides materials to schools and a Web

site for children to help them understand the importance of wildlife in the North.

The NWMB consults Inuithunters about wildlife inNunavut. The hunters tellthem what kinds of animalsand birds they see, and wherethey see them.

Thinking It Through

■ Why do you think it is important that organizations likethe NWMB involve the Inuit in decision making?

■ What role can Inuit Elders play in the work of the NWMB?

The muskox is one of the animals thatthe NWMB studies and manages.Every year, the board rules on howmany muskoxen can be hunted.

Scientists also go out onthe land to study wildlifefor the NWMB.

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Inuit Communities TodayInuit people live a contemporary and traditional lifestylethat includes living in modern homes, and drivingsnowmobiles and vehicles. Inuit people use the Internet,watch satellite TV and commonly use cellphones.Traditional ways continue to be an important part of life,and in the spring and summer, whole communities mightreturn to the land for hunting and fishing.

Iqaluit has seen a lot of changes in the past few years.New roads, buildings, schools, and a skateboard park havebeen built. Here is what some Iqaluit residents think of thechanges.

The Inuit invented sunglasses. Why do you think sunglasses are a necessary itemin the North?

■ Find out more aboutInuit inventions.How did theseinventions affectquality of life?

Skill Smart

ThinkingIt Through

■ What do the Voicesof Canada on thispage tell about lifein Iqaluit? How doyou think Inuitcommunities in theregion havechanged over time?

Voices of Canada

Iqaluit Today

I feel that Iqaluit has changed positively, like how the city ispaving roads.

Elissa McKinnon

I think Iqaluit is becoming a very prosperous city.

Scott Flieger

There are a lot more things to do, and friendly people.

Anne Mullin

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The Nunavut legislative building in Iqaluit was designed for a cold environment.How do you think this design is beneficial?

Inuktitut is the language ofthe Inuit. It is used inhomes, schools, on theradio and on TV, and by thegovernment of Nunavut.Language and culture arevery important in Nunavut,which is why Inuktitut isrecognized there as anofficial language.

words matter !

Iqaluit: A Government TownNunavut is Canada’s only territory where the governmentfollows mainly Inuit traditions. Iqaluit is the capital city ofNunavut. With a population of nearly 4000, it is the largestsettlement in the Arctic region. Iqaluit is the centre forgovernment. Many of the people who live here work for thegovernment. People who do business with the governmentalso live in Iqaluit. Often these people only live in Iqaluitfor a few years, then move back to southern Canada.

Government workers in the North might speak one ofthe many official languages in Nunavut. Inuktitut,English, and French are all recognized as official languagesby the Nunavut territorial government.

The government in Nunavut has restored culturaltraditions by working with Inuit Elders. It works on aconsensus model to reach agreements, and all memberswork together to resolve issues.

Many Francophones work for the government in Iqaluitand live throughout the Arctic region, from Inuvik in thewest, to Iqaluit in the east. Francophones living in theNorth come from all parts of Canada, but most are fromQuébec. They have a newsletter called Le Nunavoix. AFrancophone school, the École de Trois-Soleils, serves thecommunity in Iqaluit.

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Thinking It Through

■ What challenges do communities in the North face?Think about how people work, travel, and communicate.What do you think might help solve these challenges?

Iqaluit Today• 60 percent of the population of Iqaluit is Inuit.• On January 1, 1987, the community changed its name

from Frobisher Bay to Iqaluit, the name the Inuit havealways used.

• For thousands of years, the site has been a camping andfishing spot. The name Iqaluit means “place of fish.”

• At the end of April, Iqaluit celebrates the coming of springwith the Toonik Tyme festival, featuring games, dogsledraces, iglu-building contests, and entertainment.

More About. . .

Inuit musician Susan Aglukarkwrites songs that show her tiesto the land and to the past. Shealso sings songs that have beenpassed down throughgenerations. How does thisreflect her identity?

Radio, television, and newspapers are important waysfor people to hear about their communities. The AboriginalPeoples Television Network (APTN) and CBC North provideradio and television news and entertainment to people inthe Arctic region. Local shows in Inuktitut are produced byCBC North in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet. These shows coverlocal current events. The program Sinnaksautit featurestraditional Inuit storytelling. CBC North has a dailyevening television newscast in Inuktitut called Igalaaq. Itcovers local, national, and international news. Nunavutnewspapers, such as the Nunatsiaq News and the KivalliqNews, are published in Inuktitut and English. They are alsoavailable on the Internet.

Iqaluit is a fast-growing city. Itis also the mostnortherly capitalcity in Canada.

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Why Did the First Explorers Come tothe Arctic Region?

Beginning in the 1500s, explorers from Europe begansailing into the waters of the Arctic region. They hoped tofind a way to sail from the Atlantic Ocean to the PacificOcean. Their explorations into this region would lead tonew discoveries and close contact with the Inuit.

The Northwest PassageBetween 1576 and 1578, Martin Frobisher, an explorer fromEngland, made three voyages into the Arctic Ocean.Although he did not discover the Northwest Passage,Frobisher Bay is named after him.

Alexander Mackenzie learned from First Nations peopleabout river routes to the northern sea. In the late 1700s, he explored what would become the Mackenzie River,following it to the Arctic Ocean. Although he did not find the Northwest Passage, Mackenzie became the firstEuropean to cross the continent by land, from east to west.

In the 1800s, explorers were able to map the manyislands in the Arctic region. Often their ships were trappedin the ice when winter set in. Some expeditions were trappedfor years, and often the sailors would rely on the local Inuitfor help. Some were not so lucky. The voyage headed by SirJohn Franklin, also an English explorer, would end in thedeaths of himself and his crew.

Wooden ships thatwere used in Arcticexplorations werereinforced with iron.What kinds of shipssail in the ArcticOcean today?

Tuktoyaktuk is the Arctictrailhead of

the Trans Canada Trail.This community is close to the Mackenzie Delta,which is where theMackenzie River enters the Arctic Ocean.

ThinkingIt Through

■ Look at the map ofthe Arctic region onpages 192–193.Why might it havebeen difficult to finda route from theAtlantic Ocean tothe Pacific Ocean?

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The WhalersBefore petroleum oil was used to make perfumes and fuel,whale oil was used to make these things. As early as the1500s, whalers from Europe knew that many whales livedin the Arctic Ocean.

By the 1600s, European whalers were coming every yearto the Arctic region. They began to trade with the Inuit,who were already experienced whalers. The Inuit hadalways used whales for food and fuel, and they now tradedthis skill for new things from across the ocean. They tradedfor tools, cloth, metal goods, and food such as biscuits.

The Inuit were also hired to be pilots, hunters, andseamstresses by the whalers. Their knowledge of the land,the water, and the many islands would be very importantto the whalers.

The most important location for whaling in the Arcticregion became Cumberland Sound. There, whalersestablished the first permanent whaling stations, and livedthere year round.

Over time, the Inuit and the Hudson’s Bay Companyalso began a fur trade. Fur from Arctic animals, such asArctic fox, caribou, and seals, were traded for Europeangoods.

The houses built inQaummaarviit TerritorialHistoric Park were builtwith whale bones. Thisshows that people in theArctic were huntingwhales a long time ago.

Find Cumberland Sound and the community of Pangnirtung on the map onpages 192–193. Why do you think this location would be a good spot for awhaling community?

Disease in the North

In the 1600s, only 87diseases were known tothe First Nations. Therewere about 30 000diseases known to theEuropeans. When theEuropeans became ill, they often spread thediseases to the FirstNations, who had noimmunity because thesicknesses were new tothem. The chicken poxand the flu often killedwhole families of Inuit.How would this impact Inuit communities?

More About. . .

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Living in Canada’s North Today

People think of the Arctic as a very icy,snowy place. However, more snow could fallin another region of Canada than in theArctic region! The snow that does fall stayson the ground for a long time, because theair is so cold. Some areas in the Arctic donot seem to be like Earth at all, which iswhy projects like the Haughton-Mars Projectcome to this region.

Housing Homes must be very well insulated.

Clothing When people go outdoors in winter, they mustwear warm clothing from head to toe.

Farming Almost no farming is done in the Arctic. Thingslike flour and vegetables must be brought in bytruck or plane. That can make some foods veryexpensive.

Travel People use snowmobiles, planes, trucks, andboats. There are very long distances to travel inthe Arctic region!

Lena Sikasluk fishes for Arcticchar near her home in PondInlet. Ice fishing is a traditionalway to fish in the Arcticregion, because the water isfrozen for much of the year.

ThinkingIt Through

■ How else could theenvironment in theNorth affect dailylife? Think of whatyou do every day.How would astudent do the samethings in the North?Could they do thesame things? Mightthey do others?

What does this photo show aboutsummer in the Arctic region?E f f e c t s o f D r y a n d C o l d A r c t i c C l i m a t e

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PermafrostMost buildings in the Arctic region do not have basements.That is because much of the ground is always frozen.Permafrost is soil that stays frozen all year. In summer,only the top layer of soil thaws. Permafrost has manyeffects on the Arctic region:

• Without deep soil, there is no farming. • Trees will not grow in permafrost, so forestry is not a

major industry here.• In the tundra, rare and fragile grasses and plants

have adapted to grow in the thin soil. • Frozen ground makes road construction difficult.

Airstrips and roads are built on a bed of gravelabove the permafrost to prevent melting. Meltingcauses potholes and uneven roads.

PollutionIn southern Canada, most garbage is buried, but permafrostprevents that in the North. In the past, waste was dumpedonto the frozen ground or into lakes and wetlands. In someplaces, sewage polluted the water. This made people andanimals sick.

Today, the government has rules to help prevent thisproblem. Companies have to find out what effect their workwill have on the environment. If it will harm theenvironment, it will not be approved. The use of land mustbe agreed on by Inuit communities and the governmentbefore companies can begin operations. Communities haverecycling programs to help reduce waste.

The tundra is a treeless areain northern Canada whereonly grasses and small plantsgrow.

words matter !

Thinking It Through

■ What to do with garbage is a challenge for allcommunities. What are ways that improper disposal ofwaste can affect quality of life? What can people andgovernments do to help protect the environment?

These Inuit students in Iglulik arerecycling cans. What challengesmight recycling programs face inthe North? Why would recyclingbe important in the region today?

Homes like these are raised off theground to prevent warm air frommelting the permafrost. Meltingpermafrost could make the housesink.

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Long Days, Long NightsImagine living in a place where in the summer,nighttime is only a few hours long, and in thewinter, the daytime is just as short! The Arcticregion is such a place because of its latitude.With very few hours of darkness in the summer,people can enjoy daytime activities, such asplaying softball, long into the night.

In winter, it is often too cold and dark formany outdoor activities, but there are lots ofindoor activities. People drive or walk toshopping malls, restaurants, and movie theatres.Children often play indoor games, or visit thelibrary. Because of 20 hours of darkness duringthe winter months, students go to school in thedark!

209

Every year, people in the Northcelebrate the Festival of theMidnight Sun. This festival is heldaround the longest day of theyear, in the summer. Why do youthink people might celebrate thisevent?

Outdoor activities are usually enjoyed all year long by these children in Iglulik.How might the length of daylight hours affect what you do every day?

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Voices of Canada

Climate Change Affects the Inuit

How can the traditional knowledge and experience of the Inuit help usstudy climate change in the Arctic region?

Years ago, we used to travel by dog team in the middle of Julyover the ice, but now, by July, people are boating.

Kugluktuk, Nunavut, 1999

The weather pattern has changed so much from my childhood.We have more accidents because the ice conditions change.

David Audlakiak, Iqaluit, 2002

Voicesof Canada

Everything HasChanged

We cannot pass on ourtraditional knowledge,because it is no longerreliable. Before, I couldlook at cloud patterns, orthe wind or even whatstars are twinkling, andpredict the weather. Now,everything is changed.

Enosik Nashalik, Pangnirtung

ThinkingIt Through

■ Read the Voices ofCanada on this page.Why do you thinktraditional knowledgeis challenged byclimate change? Howmight climate changeaffect the speakers’quality of life?

This Inuit family in the NorthwestTerritories wears double-layerparkas, traditional clothing in theArctic region. How might climatechange affect how people dress inthis region?

Climate ChangeA few years ago, a robin appeared in the Arctic region.There is no word for robin in Inuktitut because no Inuk hadever seen one. The reason the robin appeared so far north isthat temperatures are slowly getting warmer.

The Inuit also saw other things that told them theclimate was changing. They noticed that wetlands weredrying up. They saw insects, such as mosquitoes andbeetles, which they had never seen before.

Climate change has also had a direct affect on Inuitways of life. Melting ice meant more accidents, since peoplewere used to travelling on thick, solid ice. Permafrost beganto melt underneath homes. Storms have become morefrequent. The Inuit have begun to voice their concerns.Recently, Inuit hunters and observers have worked withresearch organizations to track the changes. Workshops andcommunity meetings are taking place. The informationgathered is then shared with Canada and the rest of theworld. The government of Nunavut is also developing aClimate Change Centre, a place where the information canbe collected and organized.

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Voicesof Canada

A Legendary Animal

The polar bear is centralto the image of theArctic. It’s a legendaryanimal in our lives. It’sspoken of with reverence.Life without it isunfathomable.

Duane Smith, Nunavut

The artist who madethis sculpture is OhitoAshoona. He says thatthe polar bear is the“king of the ice.”What does that tellabout his respect forthe polar bear?

Polar bears spend most of their lives on the ice. What other animals in the Arcticregion might be affected by climate change?

ThinkingIt Through

■ If the Arctic can beaffected by whathappens in thesouth, what can wedo to stop thechanges? In smallgroups, talk aboutthis problem andmake suggestionsabout the thingsyou can do to helpthe people andanimals of theArctic.

An Uncertain FutureClimate change has very serious effects on the lives ofpeople and animals in the Arctic. The example of the polarbear can show how important it is to think about the wayswe act in our world. Pollution in places as far away asSouth America and Alberta contribute to changes in theArctic.

The big problem for the polar bears in the Arctic is thatthe ice they need to hunt on is melting and growing thin.This means that they cannot get to areas to hunt seals,their main source of food. One theory is that globalwarming is melting the ice. Gases released by burningthings such as coal and gas are warming up theatmosphere. This increase in temperature is a part of theclimate change being observed in the Arctic.

How do you think the loss of the polar bear might affectthe people living in the Arctic region?

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Diamonds in the Arctic RegionThe people of Nunavut have discovered that their land hasgold and other minerals, like zinc and copper. It also hasdiamonds. Already, diamond mines are providing jobs andopportunities to the people of the North. Companies aresearching the waters of the Arctic Ocean for deposits of oiland gas. These too will provide work for the people ofNunavut.

While wealth does grow from mines and minerals, whatproblems might occur as the mining develops? What cancompanies do to make their mines safer for theenvironment in the North? Form small groups to discussthis important issue. Share your findings with the class.

This is the Jericho diamond mine, at Contwoyto Lake, in Nunavut. How do youthink mines like this one might impact the local environment and the peoplewho live nearby? Are there advantages? Disadvantages?

Diamonds

Canada is the third-largest producer ofdiamonds in the world.Many of the workers atthe mines are localpeople who are learningto mine diamonds. Morethan 2000 people in theNorth work directly withthe diamond mines.

More About. . .

Thinking It Through

■ What are the uses for diamonds today? Why might thediscovery of diamonds mean so much to people who livein Nunavut?

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What Makes Canada’sArctic Unique?

Voicesof Canada

People who live in the Arctic region have combinedtraditional ways with contemporary ways. Many Inuit inthe region still go out to live on the land, but they may usepresent-day equipment. In Nunavut, the government has acouncil of Elders to give advice about traditional ways.

Another combination of old and new ways of life is theArctic Winter Games. Modelled after the Olympic Games,these games are held every two years. Athletes fromnorthern nations such as Russia, Sweden, Norway, andCanada compete in games of skill.

Voices of Canada

Why I Am Proud to Be Inuk

I am proud to be Inuk because we can go caribou hunting andfishing. I’m happy because we can speak Inuktitut. We can gocamping on otherislands and we can godogsledding. Otherpeople down southcan’t do any kind ofstuff like this.

Roberta Dion, Grade 6student, Coral Harbour

These young women arecompeting in the Arctic WinterGames. What other sports inthe Games are connected totraditional skills?

Our Language

Within Inuktitut thereare many dialects. Whenpeople are not exposed toa dialect, it can be harderto understand. But Ithink Inuktitut isbecoming easier. Whenpeople were moreisolated and had fewercontacts, it was harder tounderstand each other.But now with morecontacts through travel,the media, and in largercommunities, it is lessconfusing.

Nunia Qanatsiaq, Arviat

Thinking It Through

■ What do the Voices of Canada in this chapter tell youabout life in the Arctic region? How is it different fromother regions in Canada? Choose one of the otherregions in Canada to create a comparison. Explain howcommunities in all regions might work together topreserve their languages and ways of life.

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ViewpointsViewpoints

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Are the Benefits of Drilling Oiland Gas Worth the Risk to theEnvironment?On the map on pages 192–193, find the place where theMackenzie River flows into the Beaufort Sea. Sediment flowingfrom the river has created the Mackenzie River Delta. Thisarea is the largest delta in Canada, and it is made up ofsmall islands, estuaries, and marshes. It is an important areafor birds, as well as other animals. Thousands of birdsmigrate to the Delta every year to nest. Beluga whales cometo the Delta to calve. Grizzly bears live in the area as well.

Several large deposits of naturalgas and oil have been found here.These energy sources are valuable. Butin order for the oil and gas to be used,they must be found and drillingplatforms built. Roads and pipelinesmust also be built so that workers canget to the oil platforms, and the oiland gas can be moved farther south,where most people live. This will havean impact on the environment andwildlife of the Mackenzie River Delta.The rich land of the Delta supports many kinds of

plants and animals. It is also the location of richdeposits of oil and gas.

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1. Discuss the different points of view. Should drilling oil and gas be encouraged?Which issues are most important to the people of the communities affected?Which issues are important to the businesses? Make a chart to share your ideas.

2. What do you think the oil companies, communities, and governments shoulddo to preserve the environment? What might this mean to further generations?

Over to You

The bird sanctuary in theMackenzie River Delta isimportant. How can werisk an area that is theonly place in NorthAmerica where somespecies of birds nest andraise their young?Drilling, roads, and morepeople will disrupt thisspecial place forever.

These Arctic swans are among the bird speciesthat might be harmed by the oil development.

I’m going to work as a wildlife monitorwhen I leave school. That means that I willgo out on the land and tell the governmentif any animals or birds are being harmed bythe oil drilling. I think that’s a good way tohelp take care of the Delta.

The oil companies are

committed to doing their

best to protect the

environment. I think we

can develop this

resource, give people

jobs, and still protect the

land and the animals.

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Make a Presentation

Climate change is a growing concern in the Arctic region. Researchhow the climate has changed in your community over the last 100 years. Look on the Internet or conduct interviews. Then share the information in a presentation. Look back to the Skill Power onpage 197 to help plan your presentation.

Research a Current Event

Find out more about oil drilling or diamond mining in the Arcticregion today. What types of discoveries are being made? What arecompanies doing to preserve the environment? Look on the Internetor use the library to conduct your research. Then write a newspaperarticle to share your facts.

Look at News Reports

Find two news reports about climate or environmental concerns in theArctic region. Do the reports have similar opinions? Do they useinterviews to support their arguments? Who wrote them? Why do youthink they were written?

Build Your Skills!

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Inquiring Minds?

Once Katie had finished her research intoQaummaarviit Territorial Historic Park, she used herfamily’s computer to create a PowerPoint display.She chose to make this presentation because itwould be a good way to include photos and maps.Here is what part of her presentation looked like.

Take Time to Reflect

Before you go on to the next chapter, think about what youlearned in this one. If someone from the Arctic region came tovisit you, how would you help them learn about yourcommunity? What would you show them? Prepare a bulletedlist. Save your work for your Canada Collection.

Review the inquiry questions for this chapter: • Explain how different communities have adapted to the

climate and geography in the region.• Has change always been good for people in the Arctic?

Explain.

Putting It All Together

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ThePlaceThatShines

• Qaummaarviit TerritorialHistoric Park is on BaffinIsland. It is also called“The Place That Shines.”

• People called the Thuleonce lived there. The parkprotects what is left of their houses.

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