Nunatsiavut explains ‘difficult, necessary’ decision to withdraw from biz conference
The day after announcing their withdrawal from the 2025 Northern Lights Conference, the Nunatsiavut Government is shedding more light on their decision, calling it a challenging yet necessary step they felt compelled to take.
They reiterated the withdrawal was driven by the inclusion of the NunatuKavut Community Council (NCC) in the conference.
“This decision was not made lightly, but was deemed necessary in order to uphold our commitment to protecting the rights and interests of Labrador Inuit and, indeed, Canada’s true Indigenous governments, organizations, groups and entities,” Nunatsiavut President Johannes Lampe said in a statement on Thursday.
Controversy goes back over a decade
Canada recognizes three Indigenous groups: Inuit, First Nations, and Métis.
The NunatuKavut Community Council (NCC), representing 6,000 people in southern Labrador claiming Inuit ancestry, was formerly known as the Labrador Métis Nation.
In 2019, despite departmental warnings, the then-minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations signed a memorandum of understanding with the NCC. However, the NCC is not recognized as Inuit by any Canadian Inuit groups or organizations, including Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK).
Objective of conference “undermined”: Lampe
Lampe said the withdrawal from the conference was aimed at protecting the rights of Labrador Inuit and ensuring that Indigenous representation remains genuine and respected.
“The Nunatsiavut Government has been fully transparent about its position regarding the NCC, and it should not have come as a surprise to organizers of Northern Lights that none of Canada’s Inuit regions would participate in the 2025 event,” Lampe said.
“We believe the Northern Lights Conference should be a platform for genuine and recognized Indigenous representation. The participation of the NCC, which does not represent an Inuit collective capable of holding section 35 rights under Canada’s Constitution, undermines this objective, leading to conflict.”
In a statement on Wednesday, NunatuKavut Community Council (NCC) President Todd Russell said cancellation of the conference was a missed opportunity for everyone.
“We again extend a formal invitation to [Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Natan] Mr. Obed and Mr. Lampe to sit and work together to find solutions and address all of our people’s priorities,” he said.
“Senseless boycotts and other exclusionary practices harm us all. It is only through communication and a willingness to solve problems, real or imaginary, will we be able to move forward.”
Previous withdrawals from events involving NCC
Lampe said the Nunatsiavut Government looks forward to attending further conferences and showcases involving “recognized or accepted” Indigenous organizations.
“We look forward to contributing to and participating in gatherings and events that honour and reflect the true diversity and legitimacy of Indigenous representation within Newfoundland and Labrador, the rest of Canada and beyond,” he said.
The Northern Lights Conference is not the first event the Nunatsiavut Government has withdrawn from in protest of the NCC’s involvement.
Last year, they sat out the Premier-Indigenous Leaders’ Roundtable in Newfoundland and Labrador upon finding out that NCC was invited.
Comments, tips or story ideas? Contact Eilís at eilis.quinn(at)cbc.ca
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Business conference axed over NunatuKavut Community Council’s involvement, CBC News
Finland: Sami NGO demands removal of “Far Northern Attire” from Square Enix’s Final Fantasy, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: Certification marks help both Sami artisans and consumers, says council, Eye on the Arctic
