If I could just start with one sentence in your question for my colleague on the suspension of RAIPON by the Russian ministry of justice, I do think that was likely an example of two government departments not talking to each other within Russia.
It was noteworthy that the Russian senior Arctic official, Ambassador Anton Vasiliev, participated in the Arctic Council's expression of concern about that action by the Russian ministry of justice. So just as in Ottawa, when sometimes departments don't talk enough to each other, there is a benign explanation as to what might have happened. There are also less benign explanations, but we shouldn't jump to conclusions.
On the issue of a new treaty on oil spill prevention, I have a couple of things to say. If an oil spill occurs in the Arctic, it may well be transnational in implication. The Beaufort Sea is an example. A major oil spill would have consequences for both Canada and the U.S. An oil spill in Baffin Bay? Same thing—Greenland and Canada. Around the Arctic, a massive spill would be transnational in consequence, and therefore we should be looking at this as a transnational challenge.
In terms of oil spill prevention, I think it's also important for us to have a level playing field in terms of safety and regulations, so there's no race for the bottom to try to not have regulations, because the Arctic is such a risky place for such activity. Canada should embrace the drive for higher standards. We all know what happened in the Gulf of Mexico. We all know that ultimately the consequences for both oil companies and governments are extreme if this is not done.
A final example of that.... There's an issue as to whether countries should retain the requirement for same-season relief well capacity with regard to the Arctic. As exploration moves into deeper and deeper water, this becomes an issue of pressing concern. Other countries, like Norway, Greenland, and Denmark, are maintaining the standard. I think we should do so as well here in Canada.
The consolation to us is that there's increasing evidence, particularly in the Arctic, that the major oil companies want to have a high degree of regulation and safety with regard to these issues, because they've seen the BP spill. They've seen the consequences for that oil company, and we saw this last summer in Canada. We opened up five new lease blocks in the Beaufort Sea and none of the majors bid for them. The majors in the last couple of years have shifted their attention to places like Russia, Norway, and Greenland, perhaps because Canada's been behind in terms of adopting tough standards.
So let's get with the momentum and show leadership, and raise our standards collectively with other Arctic states.