Today Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna, will make an announcement on an Inuit-led climate change strategy. Scientists tell us that the Arctic is warming at two to three times the rate of the lower regions of Canada, an alarming data-driven claim.
I immediately wonder why the southern, non-Inuit minister is making the announcement but as I read I was encouragted that it will be the Inuit people who will be at the centre of this initiative. Today's press conference will include the release of a 48-page document with a comprehensive plan addressing all aspects of Inuit life. Natan Obed of the Inuit Tapariit Kanatami says that this is more than a policy statement for people of the North. It is a matter of life and death for people still inextricably connected to the natural world.
Natan Obed
I am encouraged to hear about this, and it reminds me of Sheila Watt Cloutier's powerful book, The Right to be Cold. I read it and blogged about it in 2015 (link below). In that reflection I said:
The Right to be Cold is also a spiritual book, something I did not expect. Watt-Cloutier describes how the "country food" of the traditional diet not only fuels those who live in a harsh climate, it is almost sacramental for her and her people. She notes as well that learning to hunt instills spiritual values of patience and perseverance, and respect for all living things.
Not only do I pray that this climate change strategy will help ensure a healthy future for Inuit Canadians, I hope it will be a wake-up call for the rest of us, including the politicians in this country who just don't seem to appreciate the climate crisis and the spiritual crisis we all face.
http://lionlamb-bowmanville.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-spiritual-north.html
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