Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #111: Integrity of the Traditional Food System and Environmental Health in the Circumpolar North  (Northern Food System)

Outline
Environmental changes and degradation pose a threat to the integrity of the traditional food system and the health of Aboriginal Peoples in the Circumpolar North. The overall objective for this proposal is to develop a comprehensive food monitoring program and environmental health research program for Aboriginal communities that will integrate information on toxicology of environmental contaminants, food composition and nutrient requirement, food availability and effects of environmental changes, local and traditional ecological knowledge, cultural and socioeconomic factors. Education and communication initiatives are also planned to assist individuals in making their own informed decisions on food choice. The participatory nature of the research will ensure Aboriginal Peoples’ involvement and/or training in all stages of research projects, including the initiation, planning, implementation, and results communications. Specific objectives include: To create a national and international traditional food monitoring program. 1. To evaluate the balance between health benefits and health risks associated with traditional food consumption. 2. To document the availability of key species in different northern regions. 3. To address the issue of the effect of climate change on food availability. 4. To identify the First Nation and/or Inuit communities that are at high risk of environmental stress in Canada by studying the relationship between pollution sources and health outcomes. 5. To implement intervention, education and resources management by combining local knowledge and scientific data generated from the study in collaboration with the Aboriginal organisations and communities. 6. To build capacity in the northern communities to conduct environmental health research.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Since food and environment are integral parts of the Aboriginal cultures in the north, the integrity of the system has to be protected. A comprehensive food quality and availability monitoring program will document the existing status of the environment with the community perspectives. It will help to document changes. The similarity and differences of issues faced by Aboriginal communities in different Circumpolar regions will be compared to provide a global perspective. The human dimensions of the impact of changes on health, and the cultural historical, and social processes that shape the sustainability of circumpolar human societies will be the centre theme of the project.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The project will cover the traditional food systems of all Aboriginal communities in the Circumpolar North. The leaders of the project will be Inuit Circumpolar Conference, Dene Nation and Council of Yukon First Nations and the Alaska Native Science Commission in the US. The team members will include academic staff of the Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment at McGill University.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The project will involve all aboriginal communities in northern Canada and Alaska. We will also collaborate with other communities in Europe.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 01/06 – 12/08            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
A circumpolar network with northern researchers taking the lead will be established. Some aspects of the project will seek co-funding from other programs like Northern Contaminant Program, AMAP and ArcticNet.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The project will build a platform for a Aboriginal led program to coordinate the activities of monitoring, research, resources planning, education and public health in the north.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This pre-proposal has been reviewed and is being submitted by the Canadian Steering Committee (CSC). Ongoing discussions will integrate this pre-proposal into a larger network of related national and international initiatives. The CSC has initially sorted this pre-proposal into: Healthy and Sustainable Communities: Traditional Knowledge and Practices

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
New

This project will be part of a series of projects proposed by the Aboriginal Peoples in the North to take initiatives to control the research and policy development agenda in the north.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be managed by a newly created Aboriginal run institute.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The new institute will have an annual budget of $5 million per year. Funding for this project is estimated to be around $1 million per year.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Prof Laurie Chan
21, 111 Lakeshore, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue


H9X3V9
Canada

Tel: 514-398-7765
Mobile: no
Fax: 514-398-1020
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation