ICCE Brings Cumulative Effects Dialogue to Nunavut
The Indigenous Centre for Cumulative Effects (ICCE) is working to enhance awareness of cumulative effects among Inuit communities in the far north. ICCE is scheduled to make a presentation to the Nunavut Association of Municipalities (NAM) annual general meeting with the intent of bringing further awareness of cumulative effects, and how Inuit communities and organizations can help address these concerns.
The Nunavut Association of Municipalities (NAM) is holding its annual general meeting in Iqaluit, NU from November 8 to 10, 2021. NAM is meeting to discuss important municipal issues, collaboration amongst governments and of course, discuss Covid-19 and other health issues.Â
For ICCE, and Indigenous peoples, cumulative effects are very much about health and well-being. From the health of a fragile ecosystem to the health of the Inuit food supply, the organization will begin a dialogue on how to better involve Inuit into cumulative effects action.
At the NAM meeting, ICCE will host the first of a number of regional focused dialogues that will inform a national needs assessment that will help understand and focus the needs of Indigenous communities with respect to cumulative effects.
The choice to begin these focussed dialogues in the north was quite deliberate. The organization hopes that the presentation to NAM as well as the follow-up dialogue will build on the network of Indigenous cumulative impacts practitioners and knowledge holders across Canada.Â
~ Leea Litzgus, Executive Director
ICCE also hopes to gain an appreciation for the needs of Inuit communities in the areas of training and awareness of cumulative effects, how communities can better assess, manage and monitor cumulative effects.
We truly want to understand what more needs to be done. ICCE can play an important role in providing the tools to better understand and address cumulative effects.Â
~ Leea Litzgus, Executive Director
Over the course of the year, these regional focussed dialogues will take place to better understand the overall picture with respect to cumulative effects. These will include invited environmental staff, indigenous and western science and knowledge holders, ICCE partners and those who have had projects funded by ICCE Community Funding Program. Following these regional focussed dialogues, ICCE will be engaging First Nation, MÃĐtis and Inuit communities across Canada to seek out direct input and advice from those who are living with, and most impacted by, cumulative effects.