Boundaries of Nunavut

[CMSellers]

Why is it that when Nunavut was created as a homeland for the Inuit, half of Victoria Island and all of Banks Island—both inhabited only by Inuit—remained in the Northwest Territories? While I’ve got a couple theories, and I know the ultimate answer is surely “politics,” I’m sure there has to be a story behind it. So: does anybody know the full story of how there came to be a long line splitting vast Victoria Island in twain?

Thanks,
~CMS

[Nametag]

It’s not like all of the Inuit in Canada live in Nunavut. The other third of Victoria Island is in the Inuvik Region of NWT, and is part of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, and probably could not be severed from NWT without abrogating the Inuvialuit Final Agreement.

[Polycarp]

Also note that there are many Inuit living in Nunavik, the northern portion of Québéc province.

[Northern_Piper]

Nametag seems to have nailed it, as the Wikipedia article on Parker’s Notch suggests:

The boundary between the two territories was established through a long and sometimes difficult negotiation primarily between the Aboriginal groups of the two future territories. Traditional land use was a major criterion for decisions about where the line should be drawn, and in some areas where both Dene and Inuit peoples had lived or hunted, the negotiation process was extremely complex.

…

Furthermore, the Inuvialuit established the right to hunt and harvest anywhere in the claim area, particularly as primary harvesters on certain lands known to be rich in wildlife. They also secured the responsibility for ensuring good wildlife management, becoming part of a wildlife management team with the government. With the Inuvialuit Final Agreement in 1984, the first, major part of the border we are exploring in this article was determined.

One of the more interesting pieces in this border is the ‘notch’ on the east-west line on Victoria Island. This notch contains Quunnguq Lake, a traditional hunting and fishing location for the people of Ulukhaktok, and was explicitly included in the IFA to protect access to this area for these people. It is an intriguing detail of the border, and gives insight to the kinds of influences which shaped the negotiations.

[Colophon]

It’s worth noting that the boundary on Google Maps is way off from where it should be. The “notch” on Google is a plain rectangle, and some way to the west of Quunnguq lake. The actual border wiggles all round the shoreline of the lake in a ridiculously complex shape.