Canada’s newly appointed Ocean Envoy visited Iqaluit this week for a one-day meeting with the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA), pressing officials on how to balance conservation efforts with economic opportunities tied to ocean resources.
Visit seeks local perspective ahead of international conference
Diana Fox Carney — named to the volunteer envoy role in September by Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson — held talks in the Nunavut capital at the Nunavut Fisheries and Marine Training Consortium offices during her 24-hour stay. The meeting with QIA representatives was originally planned to take place outdoors on the shore of Koojesse Inlet but moved indoors when high winds rolled in.
In the meetings, Fox Carney said she aimed to gather information and listen to local priorities in advance of chairing the 12th Our Ocean Conference, scheduled for Halifax in May 2027. The invitation-only event will bring together governments, Indigenous leaders, scientists, industry and non-governmental organisations to discuss protection and sustainable use of ocean spaces.
“The message I hear, very strongly obviously, is that care for the ocean and the importance of preserving livelihoods and cultural approaches and conservation objectives are critical,”
Fox Carney told reporters during a brief interview at the consortium offices. She added the conversations in Iqaluit were an early step in her outreach ahead of the conference, noting:
“This is an initial conversation. My understanding is that there is a lot to learn.”
Key local conservation topics
Among subjects raised during the meeting was the current effort to expand protection for the Pikialasorsuaq polynya, a year-round patch of open water between Baffin Island and Greenland that supports numerous marine species and is central to the livelihoods and culture of Inuit in the region.
QIA’s conservation work under the Sinaa agreement received a major boost in 2025 when the organisation secured a $270-million funding commitment from the federal government and other donors for protection measures. That strategy aligns with the federal government’s target to preserve 30 per cent of its marine and terrestrial areas — a promise tied to an international biodiversity agreement reached at the 2022 United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Montreal.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Pikialasorsuaq polynya area (approx.) | 85,000 km² |
| Sinaa agreement funding | $270 million |
| Federal protection target | 30% of marine and terrestrial areas |
Local priorities and international pressure
Fox Carney said part of her mandate involves translating local priorities into the discussions that will take place at the Our Ocean conference. She also noted Canada intends to press Greenland to match its conservation measures — a reference to the transboundary nature of the Pikialasorsuaq area and the need for co-ordinated protection policies across Arctic waters.
The Iqaluit talks reflected an early phase of what Fox Carney described as listening sessions. For residents and organisations in the Qikiqtani region, the conversations matter because decisions taken at national and international tables will affect hunting and fishing practices, cultural activities, and the possibility of economic development tied to marine resources.
- Conservation expansion for the Pikialasorsuaq polynya was a major topic.
- QIA’s Sinaa agreement secured a $270-million commitment in 2025.
- The federal aim to protect 30% of lands and oceans frames Canada’s push at international talks.
Community leaders and Inuit organisations have consistently emphasised that conservation must be Inuit-led and compatible with subsistence and economic needs. The envoy’s visit underlined the federal government’s intention to include northern voices in high-level ocean policy, though it also highlighted the practical challenge of aligning cross-border protections in regions where marine ecosystems and traditional use areas span international boundaries.
For Iqaluit residents, the upcoming Our Ocean Conference and related federal initiatives will be watched closely to see whether commitments translate into on-the-ground governance that protects marine ecosystems while supporting Inuit culture and livelihoods.
Reporting from Iqaluit brought local perspective to an early federal outreach effort on ocean policy.
