Bob Dechert at the Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee

On February 26th, 2013. See this statement in context.

February 26th, 2013 / 12:35 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks to each of our presenters for sharing all of this important information with us.

Each of you has spoken about economic development. Mr. Hayden said that Canada's north is open for business. I wonder if you could give us your views on whether you think the creation of a formal circumpolar business forum would be useful for showing best practices in economic and resource development in the region. That would be a business council that would be populated by business people from throughout the Arctic region and all the member states of the Arctic Council.

Perhaps we could start with Mr. MacKay. Give me your views on that, and we'll go to each of the other speakers as well.

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