Economic development of the Canadian Arctic and the impact of mining on Inuit

The bachelor thesis analyses and compares three main periods of the economic development in the Canadian Arctic, starting from the years 1950's until the end of the administrative of Prime Minister Harper in 2015. Mining of natural resources, as the base of the North's development, has been seen by the federal government also as a tool for cultural assimilation of Inuit into the dominant society. Nevertheless, participation of Inuit in mining activities and in fact in the whole employment culture has had serious impact on Aboriginal communities who have never been consulted about the federal strategy. However, while the first phase of development is characterized by strict colonialist approach of the government, the situation started to change during the second phase, characterized by a rising of Inuit's political participation and their first demonstrations of discontent. Although during the third, neoliberal era, several new mechanisms in order to improve the dialogue between Inuit, mining companies and the government were accepted, social conditions in Inuit communities remain below the Canadian average and with the government "laissez-faire" attitude they are not to be changed any time soon