Nunatsiaq News – Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. says the territory needs to see “Arctic-specific regulations” around the mining of uranium before they can throw their support behind a proposed uranium mine near Baker Lake. NTI president Cathy Towtongie said the organization will review its own uranium policy at an upcoming meeting before launching territory-wide consultations on the issue. “We need to take a balanced approach to make sure we do this right,” Towtongie told Nunatsiaq News. “We don’t have the infrastructure at this point.” The mine’s first port of emergency would be located in Newfoundland, she pointed out. NTI’s remarks are a departure from their previous backing of Areva Resources Canada Inc.‘s Kiggavik proposal, which would build an underground and open-pit mine about 75 kilometres west of Baker Lake.

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More information:

• CBC: “Inuit leaders tackle resource development debate” (Feb. 23, 2011).
• CBC: “Nunavut Inuit group puts uranium policy on hold” (Feb. 24, 2011).