Still not permitted to rebroadcast
IGLOOLIK, Nunavut — Uvagut TV said today it has resumed its live broadcast of the Nunavut Impact Review Board’s (NIRB) public hearing into the proposed phase two expansion of Baffinland Iron Mines Corp.’s Mary River mine (located in northern Baffin Island).
The news comes after Uvagut TV’s owner Nunavut Independent Television Network (NITV) earlier this week made public a letter requesting the NIRB allow the all-Inuit-language channel to not only broadcast the hearing live but also to rebroadcast sessions later in the day so more Inuit viewers could be informed about what was discussed during the hearing.
The public hearing, which had been on hiatus since February 6, resumed on Monday, April 12 in Iqaluit. Uvagut TV says in a press release it was able to resume its live broadcast of the mine impact hearing today at 9 a.m. ET.
However, Uvagut TV still doesn’t have permission to air repeat broadcasts of the hearing sessions.
“NITV had requested the right to rebroadcast the Jan-Feb hearings at times that were more convenient for Inuit, but NIRB denied that request and the related request by NITV for pre-approval to rebroadcast the final round of hearings, which began on Monday, at alternate times to increase accessibility,” explains the press release.
Uvagut TV says it will broadcast live the remainder of the NIRB hearing’s daily sessions on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET in Inuktut, with an English and Inuktut audio feed available online at uvagut.tv. The hearing is expected to run until April 21.
In addition, NITV executive director Lucy Tulugarjuk and human rights lawyer Isabelle Gilles will provide a summary of highlights three times a week, at 5:30 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, says the release.
“Our audience wants to hear what is happening,” said Tulugarjuk, explaining the decision to resume broadcasting in the current context. “We will continue to stand up for Inuit rights to be informed. NITV continues to object to NIRB’s restriction on the right to rebroadcast which limits Inuit access to the hearings and urges NIRB to reconsider that position.”
