Inuit leaders from Canada, the United States and Greenland are meeting Thursday in Kuujjuaq, Quebec, for the first-ever Inuit summit on Arctic sovereignty, an event organized by the Inuit Circumpolar Conference.
Groups like Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami say Inuit do not feel threatened by renewed international interest in the Arctic by both governments and the private sector but they also want to be included in decisions that affect the North.
"We have a right to be participating in these discussions related to Arctic sovereignty, whether it be for the development of mineral resources or whether it is to help make sure that our communities are healthy and sustainable," ITK president Mary Simon told CBC News on Wednesday.
A declaration outlining Inuit rights in the Arctic is expected to be signed on Friday.
Arctic sovereignty is also being discussed, along with climate change and other issues, at a security meeting hosted by the Canadian Forces' northern base in Yellowknife. The meeting is held twice a year in the N.W.T. capital.
Government and aboriginal representatives at the security meeting, which began Wednesday, are discussing how growth in mineral exploration, shipping traffic and industrial development are changing the Arctic.
Delegates at the Yellowknife meeting are also concerned with climate change, especially as it affects aboriginal people's ability to hunt and gather traditional foods.
