Reconsidering Arctic Shipping Governance through a Decolonizing Lens

Abstract

Inuit are increasingly being considered within Arctic shipping governance, most often regarding how the industry impacts the marine environment and their subsistence diet, and how their traditional knowledge can inform governance. Such questions are typically viewed through the lens of environmental, economic and operational frameworks, but less addressed is the context of the relationship between Inuit and the Crown. This chapter begins by presenting important moments within this relationship that targeted the colonization of Inuit and that relied in part or in entirety on shipping. These moments and the path towards recognizing the rights of Indigenous peoples are then positioned alongside the development of the Arctic shipping governance regime, and inconsistencies between the recognition of rights narrative and the consideration and involvement of Inuit in the development of the regime are highlighted. The final portion of the chapter presents evidence that, under the narrative of a renewed relationship between Indigenous peoples and the Crown, change may be underway. However, this change must continue in three key areas if it is to be meaningful and long-lasting: in legislation, guided by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act; in policy and programs, guided by the Inuit Nunangat Policy; and in society writ large, guided by Inuit themselves.