Press release: Baffinland Iron Mines owes QIA $7.3 million says Arbitration Panel
The Arbitration Panel has made a unanimous ruling in favour of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA), a not-for-profit society which represents approximately 14,000 Inuit in the Qikiqtani (Baffin) Region of Nunavut...
The panel determined that Baffinland, a Canadian company, which operates the Mary River Project, mining iron ore in Qikiqtani, owes QIA approximately $7.3 million.
...At issue before the Arbitration Panel was the proper interpretation of the September 6, 2013 Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement (IIBA) for the Mary River Project...
“I am pleased that the panel affirmed our interpretation of the IIBA; agreements with Inuit should be honoured by companies that want to work with us,” said QIA President P.J. Akeeagok.
This is Inuit money that will be invested in our communities and in the future of our children.”
…[T]hese monies will be deposited into the QIA Legacy Fund[,]...used to support various social programs including language and cultural activities, counsellor training programs, local and internet distribution of Inuit media, traditional skills workshops, elder and youth programs and community hunts,”...
QIA has received the panel’s written decision and is still reviewing the complete document. As the next step, QIA is submitting a written statement regarding the legal cost of the arbitration.