Sounds like an April Fool’s joke, but it isn’t.

Via Ottawa Citizen:

Perhaps no Canadian has done as much for the people of the Arctic than Sheila Watt-Cloutier. In her new memoir The Right to be Cold she articulates her vision for protecting the North from the ravages of global warming. In this interview with Peter Robb she talks about the meaning behind the title of her book.

Q. What is the Right to be cold?

A. Inuit culture is based on the ice, the snow and the cold. It’s very foundation depends on the climate being cold … freezing cold. The animals and the Inuit hunting culture thrive on the cold. Therefore when the climate changes and/or warms it creates an imbalance to the cycles of nature which allow for all living things to be healthy and thriving. The ice, snow and cold in the Arctic are all about transportation and mobility. Therefore when the conditions become precarious as a result of the melting, it becomes an issue of safety and security. Then our right to culture, our right to educate our children on the land, our right to safety, our right to health all become impacted by these rapid changes. In essence our Right to exist as Inuit as we know it is impacted. As we defend our Right To Be Cold, the outgrowth of our efforts also defend the Right for all citizens of the world to have a healthy environment and a stable climate.

Q. Do you consider yourself to be an Environmentalist?

A. I do not consider myself to be an Environmentalist in the commonly known definition. I came in to this work as a elected official of the Inuit Circumpolar Council to represent our people, the Inuit of the Circumpolar world, at the international level. It was a political mandate much like a Foreign Affairs minister in a federal system would have in representing Canadians. I worked, as ICC officials work, to ensure Arctic/Inuit voices are heard at the UN level, Arctic Council level and many other forums to help negotiate international treaties. Our Indigenous organizations work as quasi-political organizations even though we are classified as NGOs.

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