New policy represents ‘shift’ in Canada’s role in Arctic: Foreign minister
Canada’s northern regions set to get a $34.7M boost
From left: Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal, N.W.T Premier R.J. Simpson, National Defence Minister Bill Blair, Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai meet up in Iqaluit during the Northern Premiers’ Forum in May. (File photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Canada will appoint an Arctic ambassador, open consulates in Alaska and Greenland, and increase spending to protect northern sovereignty because the region is no longer considered “low-tension,” says Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly.
The initiatives represent a “fundamental change” in Canada’s approach to the Arctic, Joly said Friday in Ottawa during the official launch of Canada’s new Arctic Foreign Policy.
Joly spoke along with Defence Minister Bill Blair, Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal, northern premiers and leaders of Indigenous organizations, including Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami president Natan Obed.
The federal government committed $34.7 million up front for the policy, and $7 million annually over a five-year period.
The new policy highlights the importance of maintaining partnerships with Canada’s closest allies like the United States and other Nordic countries.
“Nunavut has a unique role in forging diplomatic relations in the North,” Premier P.J. Akeeagok said. “Our territory is ready to strengthen those diplomatic ties as part of team Canada.”
The new foreign policy strategy comes shortly after the Arctic defence strategy announced in April. Along with the diplomatic initiatives, Joly emphasized the importance of increasing Canada’s military presence in the Arctic.
The April update to the Liberal government’s defence policy included a total of $8.1 billion over the next five years and $73 billion over the next 20 years for Arctic defence spending.
Eight countries have territories within the Arctic — Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States — and are members of the Arctic Council.
With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and China’s heightened interest in the Arctic, the region faces new threats and competition, Blair said Friday, adding that it’s also a “remarkable generational opportunity” for nation-building projects.
The new funding is expected to both bolster Arctic sovereignty and help fill the infrastructure gap in the North, including in housing.
The new policy aims to build on the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, a guide launched in 2019 for federal policy in the Arctic until 2030 that was co-developed with Inuit, First Nations and Metis groups.
The framework outlines federal government goals, objectives and principles in local and regional economic development, infrastructure, Indigenous rights, environmental protection, national defence and foreign policy.
The framework is still “very relevant” and continues to be implemented, Global Affairs Canada said in a news release about the policy.
Sounds like the communities of Grise Fiord and Resolute Bay as flagpoles for Canada are not enough anymore.
Nunavut is very important for the country of Canada, yet it does not take care of Nunavummiut very well!
Always the same old sad song, take care of me, who will take care of me… Did ancestors ask that? I doubt it.
Our ancestors were quite self-sufficient until the government came. The Inuit became Canadian citizens in 1871, but the federal and the territorial government did nothing to or for the Inuit until the mid-1900s. The Inuit livelihood was absolutely taken away from them, the Inuit deserve a lot more than anything. Canada would be so much smaller without Nunavut.
Canada is still not recognized by the International community as having sovereignty over the Arctic and its waters/land. Maybe it’s time for Nunavut to separate from Canada or join other countries, maybe it will be more valuable to them.
You should absolutely separate, I could not agree more. Please go.
(Inuk Person), why do we have to become Canadians in the first place? We were here in the land before anyone. Canada is stolen, pay taxes to the first nations and Inuit…UN Human Rights Tribunal; HELP…..
hermann, Inuit were not the first on this land, but displaced the original inhabitants.
You can say the land was stolen, but the reality is Inuit voted to give the land to Canada in exchange for the NLCA.
In other words, nothing you just said is accurate or true.
Inuit are trying to attain the basic necessaries of life. Food, Shelter, water, that are Human Rights of the World and Indigenous people of this land are trying to attain those basic Human Rights.
All Nunavut is a giant flagpole for Canada.
Is it just me or do Canadian federal governments always start promising money for sovereignty right before they are voted out?
This is a Liberal plan, if they loose next election will new party continue with plan.
Spend , the money on the military , not more bureaucracy .
OK lets see how serious the Feds are. There is going to have to be at least one New full time fully equipped Military base setup on the Northwest passage to monitor the ever increasing traffic. This would need to include a Air base, a Marine Port and have full time Search and Rescue capabilities.
Russia already has several and maybe China will be next while Canada mulls it over!
3 words.
Pave. The. Runways.
All of them?
Is the refueling port at Nanisivik complete yet?
No.
And now there’s a move to abandon Nanisivik and move the refuelling to Iqaluit.
Iqaluit certainly has more services available, and that big runway is handy to bring in people and parts. But it’s not exactly close to the high Arctic or Kitikmeot side of the archipelago.
Yup….far west kitikmeot should be an independent central state of nunavut with its own governing body. It is treated like a slum part of the territory,
Far wezt is the most behind and forgotten by regional governments. Lets militarize the whole territory and start drafting the street people who walk diligently daily on our roads wondering what life should bring into tho the army n navy bring respect back into a region that is totally forgotten and explouted by federal canada. Now thats reconciliation..this is about our protection of sovereignty in our very homelands. Should’nt even be complaining. You want to be russian? Not me ●