| Control over arctic waters is becoming increasingly important as sea ice declines and interest in shipping increases. Canada in particular is a key player in international debates around arctic shipping and sovereignty. To explore the role of Inuit in these debates this thesis seeks to: (i) interpret how sea ice in the Canadian Arctic is understood and described in legal Acts and Agreements and, (ii) investigate how Inuit knowledge and use of sea ice is (or is not) incorporated into these understandings and descriptions. Policy analysis was combined with community-based research in Cape Dorset, Nunavut to address these issues. Results highlight that: (i) Inuit and governments possess fundamentally different understandings of sea ice (ii) Inuit sea ice knowledge and use are not well incorporated in policies and (iii) there is a lack of communication between Inuit and governments regarding arctic shipping and sovereignty. There is, however, community and broader interest in cooperating to improve the situation, which holds great potential for future mutual benefit. |
