Title: Mining and communities in the Arctic: lessons from Baker Lake, Canada

Authors: Léo-Paul Dana; Robert Brent Anderson

Addresses: Montpellier Research in Management, Groupe Sup de Co Montpellier Business School, 2300 avenue des Moulins, Montpellier, France ' University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 0A2, Canada

Abstract: In this paper, we explore mining in Arctic Canada from the perspective of the people in the communities there, in particular the Inuit, the pre-colonial people of the area. To do so, we first provide a brief overview of the history of mining in Canada including recent incursions into Nunavut. Then, we examine the place of aboriginal people including the Inuit in the modern global economy. We focus on their desire to participate in this economy on their own terms, meaning the respect of traditional land rights, and the respect and incorporation of traditional environmental knowledge, culture, values and practices in economic activities. Following this, we examine aboriginal land rights and settlement in Northern Canada. After this is done, we go on to consider the particular case of Baker Lake in Nunavut. Finally, we draw some conclusions from the case that can be generalised to other communities in the Arctic.

Keywords: aboriginal rights; aboriginal communities; traditional land rights; Inuit; Arctic; Baker Lake; mining industry; Nunavut; subsistence; self-employment; Canada; indigenous peoples.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2014.063780

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2014 Vol.22 No.3, pp.343 - 361

Published online: 29 Jul 2014 *

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