Thank you, Mr. Chair, for having me here today to speak to Canada's Arctic policy and Canada's Arctic foreign policy in particular.
Sovereignty is not something that can be declared; it needs to be built through presence, partnership and sustained investment. From that perspective, Canada's Arctic foreign policy is more than just a diplomatic document; it's a call for the country to meet its words with action.
The Government of Northwest Territories was actively engaged in the development of Canada's Arctic foreign policy. I met several times with then foreign minister Mélanie Joly. My colleagues and I appreciated her efforts to meet northerners where they are, including visiting the Northwest Territories and engaging with premiers in Iqaluit. The policy's emphasis on partnership with indigenous governments and territorial governments reflects that work, and the final document shows that northern voices were heard. Since the policy's release, Canada has experienced political transition and rapid geopolitical change.
The Arctic is at the centre of Canada's strategic future. What happens or fails to happen in the NWT will determine whether Canada can meet its security, sovereignty and foreign policy objectives in the north. A secure Arctic is not achieved through military presence alone; it's achieved through thriving communities, reliable infrastructure, economic opportunity and engaged indigenous leadership.
Canada's foreign policy correctly places people at its core. Implementation must continue to recognize indigenous governments and territorial governments not as stakeholders, but as domestic and international partners. Remember, indigenous sovereignty is inherent. Canada's sovereignty is built.
In the Northwest Territories, the greatest barriers to fully realizing the ambitions of the Arctic foreign policy are the same barriers we face across all areas of development: the lack of infrastructure and the extraordinarily high cost of doing business in remote regions. These are not abstract challenges; they affect housing availability, energy reliability and economic participation.
The NWT has much to offer through deeper Arctic-to-Arctic relationships, which have recently been reinforced through a visit to Yellowknife by the heads of mission of Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, and just last week, our participation in the Arctic symposium, hosted by the Nordic Five here in Ottawa. Our shared interests with regions like Greenland and Nordic countries include climate adaptation, sustainable resource development, indigenous rights and cultural continuity. These relationships must continue to be a cornerstone of Canada's Arctic engagement.
That being said, our physical connections to other Arctic regions are limited and inefficient. There are no direct transportation corridors linking the western and eastern Arctic or connecting the territories to each other in a meaningful way. To travel from Yellowknife to Alaska, you have to go through southern Canada. To connect with Nordic countries, options are seasonal or indirect. Actually, to visit Iqaluit and Whitehorse, I had to become the Premier. I had never been to either territory until just a couple of years ago. These gaps weaken Canada's economic resilience and limit its strategic reach.
This is why a key focus of my government is on major infrastructure priorities, advancing the Mackenzie Valley Highway, developing the Arctic economic and security corridor and reducing the cost of energy, which remains the highest in the country. These are nation-building investments that increase affordability, enable trade, support population stability and strengthen Canada's Arctic presence.
Canada's Arctic foreign policy recognizes that attracting direct foreign investment into northern and indigenous communities is essential to closing the infrastructure gap, and I agree. That gap is simply too large for any one government to carry alone. However, foreign investment must be strategic, aligned with Canada's interests and grounded in strong partnerships with territorial and indigenous governments.
Further, strengthening Arctic sovereignty and security must go hand in hand with improving the lives of northerners. Investments in housing, energy, climate resilience, critical minerals, healing and wellness, and transportation infrastructure are not separate from sovereignty; they are how sovereignty is exercised.
Canada now has a clear international vision for the Arctic, and it is one that the NWT sees itself in. Our challenge is turning that vision into action. Global attention is shifting northward, and geopolitics are changing. The Arctic is no longer peripheral; it is central. The federal government understands this moment. The question now is whether we will meet it together. The people of the north are a great asset to Canada. By working in true partnership across governments, Canada will build a secure, prosperous and sovereign Arctic.
Thank you.
