Foreign Affairs Committee on March 26th, 2013

[Darielle Talarico]

Yes. People throw out the figure $2 billion all the time. The problem is that we don't even have a feasibility study that looks at the true costs, and we need to fight for that.

There are quite a few different groups in northern British Columbia—consortia of businesses, and first nations—that have been looking at this, because of course northern British Columbia requires electricity for the development of its mining industry as well.

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

We're going to start our second round, which will be of five-minute turns.

Ms. Grewal, you have five minutes, please.

[Nina Grewal, Conservative, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Thank you, Chair, and thank you to our witnesses today.

My question is for Ms. Talarico in Whitehorse.

Ms. Talarico, as the Canadian chairmanship approaches, we are to consider many upcoming issues concerning developments in the Arctic, such as the state of permanent observer applications submitted by China and the EU sector.

In your opinion, what could Canada, as leader of this council, make a priority for the development of the north, as an important example?

[Darielle Talarico]

That's a difficult question; it's very complicated.

Just to clarify, I'm appointed to the Canadian Polar Commission. We're a body appointed by the federal government, and we're separate from the Arctic Council, of course. Our mandate with the polar commission—and I understand that you have been briefed by our chairman—is to look at research priorities for the north and south poles from a Canadian perspective.

From that point of view, for the Arctic Council I think any increased dialogue amongst the circumpolar countries—and then of course the other countries that are interested in what's going on in the Arctic—is vital. Finding a way to find partnerships to include others is important, too. That's only going to build better relationships that will help us with our global economy, basically.

But it's not just the economy; it is also about the environment. It's a global environment now as well, as we're experiencing in the north with the impacts of changing whether and the changing ice patterns, especially in the Beaufort.

So cooperation and continued cooperation should be the priority.

[Nina Grewal, Conservative, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Each one of our witnesses here today brings a unique insight into their communities and specialities within the north, and so this question is open to all of you who would like to respond.

The economic development of the northern people and the projected increase in commercial activity of our northern regions must be emphasized over the course of Canada's chairmanship. In your opinion, how are the northern communities currently developing, and how can they benefit from the increased national and international interest in their region?

[James Arreak]

Thank you for that question.

One of the key and emerging areas in the north is the development of mining potential in the north, and that's an exciting area.The socio-economic transition that needs to take place right now with our people must fill a huge gap. This is where we need to engage the government, to help us prepare meaningfully and properly and position ourselves so that we can take advantage of the opportunities that come with mineral development.

[Nina Grewal, Conservative, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Do you feel that there is national support in the areas of sustainable development and strong respect for the peoples and the land of the Canadian north? How can this be further demonstrated?

[Chris West]

I think as far as developing the natural resources of the north is concerned, it will be important for people who want to do business in the north to understand the culture and develop an appreciation of the land, through the beneficiaries and through the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. I think it's important that people understand how that all works before we feel that we go in and tear the land apart and leave.

On an international level as well, through the Arctic Council, I think we'll get more interest from other countries in the north. I hope that when the Arctic Council is considering new observers to the council, it keep in mind that those observers should be Canada-friendly people.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Thank you very much. We're going to move over to Madame Laverdière for five minutes.

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to all of you for your very interesting presentations.

Here is one quick question. I was interested in what you were saying about art and about its being good for the economy, but it's also very good for individuals who may not fit into other situations. I think it's also good for Canada, because when you're selling your art abroad and when you go abroad, you carry such a positive image of Canada. We have a few grants in Canada, and this may be our most positive grant.

We hear more and more that, with cuts being made to DFAIT, with the move away from that we call “people to people diplomacy”, it is more and more difficult to get money and to be supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs to go abroad and exhibit and showcase your art.

Could you quickly comment on that, if possible?

[Justin Ford]

Certainly as an organization we are currently only getting approximately $30,000 a year for the international marketing of art. There definitely are programs out there and applications for them go out, and whether or not they get approved, there is still not a lot put out there—not to the extent that we need to see it to make a difference and to get our art out across the world.

With DFAIT gone, I know there are a few exhibitions from Nunavut that previously travelled the world but are no longer doing so because there's no money for them. Wherever these exhibitions go they're exotic. We may not understand that here, or especially in Nunavut, but it is an exotic art form that people love to see. So there's definitely a need for it.

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Mr. Bevington.

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

This is the last session that we're going to have on this before we issue our report. To me it's coming down to a question of what we need to accomplish on the international level at the Arctic Council.

Is the situation with the changing Arctic reason enough for us to focus on the issues that are developing around fishing, shipping, the environment, and setting out international agreements so that we can control what's happening in a rapidly opening Arctic Ocean? Or should we be pressing for economic development right now, prior to these types of international agreements being set up that can guarantee that we're operating across the global Arctic on a level playing field? What's NTI's position on that?

[Dr. Terry Fenge]

You're asking big questions. Let me try to give you at least a couple of concrete suggestions for your staff to reference in forthcoming reports.

I spent a week in Singapore last year with a delegation from a number of the permanent participants, and we had supper with the Singaporean Minister of Foreign Affairs. We asked why he was applying for observer status in the Arctic Council. He gave us a long, convoluted answer, and we said that we knew they were a major shipping nation, with shipping repair, etc., that we were very concerned about future shipping in the Arctic, and were supporting Canada's complete sovereignty and jurisdiction over the Northwest Passage for a reason.

We don't want to see rust buckets coming through. What we want to see is full and assertive and robust implementation of strong Canadian regulations rather than enforcement of weak international regulations.

So we indicated to him that there was a reason that we were taking this position on Canadian sovereignty. Then we said to him that they're operating in London in the International Maritime Organization, as they're a major flag state. The flag states will not accept the mandatory proposed polar code, the stringent environmental aspects of that polar code. We asked him, could you help us?

So that's an example of indigenous peoples doing foreign affairs.

We would suggest to you, through you, Mr. Chair, that it would be most helpful if any report or recommendations this committee makes urges Canada to take a strong line with other Arctic states and the IMO negotiations in London, England.

May I quickly give you a second recommendation?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Very quickly.

[Dr. Terry Fenge]

Climate change is a huge issue. I'm not going to belabour the point, but there was a major opportunity during Canada's two-year chairmanship to make solid progress on short-lived climate forces.

Some of your previous witnesses have discussed this. However, the Arctic Council ministers will consider in May the option of whether to commit themselves to negotiate some sort of legally binding agreement among the Arctic states to reduce emissions of black carbon. It's an entirely open question, so it would be most helpful if you brought forward some recommendations on that.

Both of those recommendations I've made would ease and assist us and the Government of Canada in implementing the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Thank you.

We're going to finish off with Ms. Brown and Mr. Van Kesteren for five minutes.

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

First of all, I have one question that's very selfish, Mr. West and Mr. Ford. I'm a musician. You've spoken about the visual arts, but you haven't spoken about the aural arts at all. I wonder if there is any room for music in the whole aspect of creativity in the north.

The one thing I do want to put out here as well is that I believe in free market economics. I would suggest that if there is demand for the art that is being made in the north—I'm an owner, I'm a purchaser—why is there not somebody who is taking up this opportunity?

My question to Darielle is, are there people in the chambers of commerce who are looking at making this part of their business and seeing an opportunity there to make money?

I'll put the questions out first.

Mr. Arreak, you spoke specifically in your recommendations of digitization of the maps. You gave us a map that was produced, I think you said, in 1976. Why is it so important that these ones be digitized? I read an article in Saturday's Globe and Mail about mapping of the Arctic. There's a picture there of a fellow with big gear on his head, and he's out walking the lines. Is the Arctic being mapped, from a digital perspective, in a new way? Why these maps in particular?

Sorry, I'll leave that. I hope you have time.

[Chris West]

Thank you for your question.

[Darielle Talarico]

Do you want the arts first?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Yes, we'll do the arts first. Go ahead. Why don't we start with Ms. Talarico and then we'll come over to Mr. West afterward?

Go ahead, Ms. Talarico.

[Darielle Talarico]

Again, the north is a very diverse place, and so Nunavut is very different from the Yukon. Just in the Yukon, yes, I think there's lots of development, lots of business opportunities associated with arts and culture, but it has come with a great investment by the Yukon government. The Yukon government has put a lot of money into every form of the arts: music, writing, visual arts, performing arts. We have an arts centre here and we just celebrated its 20th anniversary. I think we have the highest per capita funding for arts in Canada. We are very active.

The Yukon Chamber of Commerce actually supports the arts through a branding program. They can come into our office and pick up all the bags, the brands, the tags, everything for promoting and marketing, and retailing their art products for the visual arts and music. Our Yukon government provides money for exporting our artists around the world as well. We have a lot of autonomy here, in terms of the Yukon government supporting the arts.

Actually, it's complemented by the federal government and the funding programs they have through CanNor. Again, this gets back to sharing, and best practices, and the idea of working with Nunavut. We have people here who could share what they have learned and what they are doing, both in business and as artists, with others across the north. I'd love to see more of that happen.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Mr. West.