In marine protected areas with high standards, the position of the World Wildlife Fund is that there should not be drilling for oil and gas. We think that's self-evident from the science and the biology, particularly when there is a significant feeding area for fish and whales, for example. From an economic development perspective, it's probably negative as well. It probably costs more jobs than could potentially ever be created, particularly through seismic and other exploration.
We're not opposed to mineral development, but we do have concerns about mineral development in certain areas. We're making submissions to Nunavut land use planning in that regard, particularly with regard to the caribou calving grounds, which are extremely important. Mineral exploration has to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
In that context, I think it's also important for the committee to think about this. If we can move quickly on marine protection, there's also a strategic issue for Canada. As the sea ice recedes and the Northwest Passage becomes more navigable, protected areas strengthen our claims to sovereignty. I think that layer is rarely mentioned in these issues, and it's extremely important.