Foreign Affairs Committee on Oct. 23rd, 2025

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Ladies and gentlemen, I call this meeting to order.

Before I begin, on behalf of our colleague Anita Vandenbeld, I would like to publicize that she will be hosting an all-party democracy caucus meeting with the EU commissioner for democracy, rule of law and justice, Michael McGrath. That will be at 6 p.m. in room 330 Wellington.

With that out of the way, I call the meeting to order.

Welcome to meeting number eight of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the Standing Orders.

Members are attending in person in the room and remotely using the Zoom application.

Before we continue, I'd like to ask all in-person participants to consult the guidelines written on the cards on the table. These measures are in place to protect the safety and health of participants, including the interpreters. You'll also notice a QR code on the card that links to a short awareness video.

I'd like to make a few comments for the benefit of the witnesses and members.

Please wait until I recognize you by name before speaking. For those participating by video conference, click on the microphone icon to activate your mic, and please mute yourself when you are not speaking.

All comments should addressed through the chair.

For members in the room, if you wish to speak, please raise your hand. For members on Zoom, please use the “raise hand” function. The clerk and I will manage the speaking order as best we can, and we appreciate your patience and understanding in this regard.

Last Tuesday, an informal meeting was held jointly with our colleagues from the Standing Committee on Finance and the Standing Committee on Industry to meet with the defence ministers of Germany and Norway and a few parliamentarians. A few of our members attended the meeting. The cost of hospitality is being shared among the three committees. Do I have the members' approval for our committee to assume one-third of the total cost of that event?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you.

I'd also like to inform you that the Secretary of State for International Development, Randeep Sarai, has expressed interest in meeting with the committee and will appear next Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. For your information, a draft version of the committee calendar was distributed yesterday by the clerk.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Tuesday, September 23, the committee is meeting on the study of Canada's Arctic strategy.

I would now like to welcome our witnesses for the first hour of the meeting.

From the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, we have Virginia Mearns, Arctic ambassador and senior official to the Arctic Council. We have Robert Sinclair, former director general, Arctic, Eurasian and European affairs and newly appointed ambassador to Sweden from Canada.

Congratulations.

Up to five minutes will be given for opening remarks, after which we'll proceed with rounds of questions.

I now invite Ms. Mearns to make an opening statement of up to five minutes.

[Virginia Mearns, Arctic Ambassador, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development]

Mr. Chair, thank you for this invitation to appear with my colleague Rob Sinclair. I am here today following my recent appointment as Canada's Arctic ambassador and serving as Canada's senior Arctic official to the Arctic Council. It is an honour to follow in the footsteps of Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, who from 1994 to 2004 was the first Inuk woman to serve in a similar role.

The Prime Minister announced my appointment at the Inuit-Crown partnership committee in Inuvik in July 2025. This Inuit-Crown partnership committee advances work on shared priority areas between Inuit and the federal government, so it was the perfect setting for this announcement.

I bring to this role deep experience acquired through living and working in Nunavut. I spent 11 years with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the territorial Inuit and rights holder organization where I focused on social and cultural development policy. That work brought me into regular contact with community-level organizations and their priorities, needs and aspirations. I also contributed to national-level work, including on the national Inuit committee on health under Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.

I also worked for eight years with the Government of Nunavut, including time in the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs. In that role, I worked closely with Inuit organizations and the Government of Canada. I also had the honour of serving from 2018 to 2021 as principal secretary to Premier Joe Savikataaq, a role that involved frequent engagement with provinces, territories and the federal government. More recently, I worked at Qikiqtani Inuit Association, one of Nunavut's three regional Inuit associations, as the senior director of Inuit relations. That work included bilateral collaboration with Inuit in Greenland, exploring shared priorities between our communities in Nunavut and Greenland.

As shared by my colleague Rob Sinclair, the Minister of Foreign Affairs launched the Arctic foreign policy in December 2024 after months of meaningful and distinctions-based engagement with indigenous partners and territorial and provincial governments. Canada's Arctic foreign policy, which builds on and complements the Arctic and northern policy framework's international chapter, consists of four pillars: exercising our sovereignty, advancing Canada's interests through pragmatic diplomacy, asserting leadership on Arctic governance and multilateral challenges, and adopting a more inclusive approach to Arctic diplomacy. My role as Canada's Arctic ambassador is one of the priorities announced under the last pillar. Through this role, I will ensure that Canada's Arctic foreign policy remains connected to Canadians living in the north, including through my office in Iqaluit.

As Canada's Arctic ambassador, my top priority is to ensure that my role is co-developed in partnership with indigenous peoples and northerners, and that our diplomatic engagement reflects the voices and perspectives of those who live in the north. Over the coming months, I'll be engaging directly, both in person and virtually, to listen, learn and shape our approach together.

Last week I was thrilled to participate in my first international engagement at the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik. In addition to holding various bilateral meetings, I hosted a round table with Canadians, as a first step in my engagement process, to hear views from various stakeholders, including provincial and territorial governments, indigenous organizations, youth, business and NGOs, specifically to discuss my mandate.

As part of my engagement plan, I will travel across the three territories to meet with partners to exchange on my mandate, building on the formal and informal conversations I've already had so far.

I've scheduled a number of meetings with key stakeholders, and I'm looking forward to hearing their insights and priorities.

I also look forward to pursuing discussions at the Arctic security working group in Yellowknife in two weeks. My office will be compiling the feedback we receive through this process, and we will be sharing a summary with partners in the next few months. This is an important step in ensuring that our work reflects the voices and the perspectives of those who live in the north.

Since I started in my role only a few weeks ago, I sensed enthusiasm from Canadians, especially from northerners, in engaging with me to share their priorities related to the Arctic and the north. I've already benefited from hearing the perspectives of some northern and Arctic partners on matters that are of importance to them and how they see the role of my office. I have heard already about the importance of the relationship between partners and the Government of Canada on fronts such as maintaining strong relationships domestically, working together on areas of joint interest, the importance of a secure and sovereign Arctic, addressing critical infrastructure gaps and seeking opportunities for the expansion and diversification of the northern Arctic economies.

In conclusion, Mr. Chair, I want to thank the members of the committee for their attention and engagement regarding this important question. I'll be happy to answer questions related to my role.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you very much for your remarks.

I will now open the floor for questions, starting with MP Ziad Aboultaif. You have six minutes.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you very much for visiting the committee today.

You started your role a few weeks ago. In your opening remarks, you mentioned that part of the job is to keep connecting to the local communities and to engage with Arctic Council partners. Do you believe that Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic is a top priority for you and for your role? If that's the case, what tools have you been provided with, from the government, in order to fulfill this role?

[Virginia Mearns]

Absolutely, sovereignty in the Arctic is a priority. I've been afforded the opportunity to work with many departments already, within the Government of Canada, that are able to share their perspectives and the way in which they work towards ensuring that we continue to exercise our sovereignty. In addition to that, the dialogue with rights holders in the communities, who also have their own perspectives on what sovereignty means to them, is quite critical. The ability to have that engagement and dialogue with the communities, and then, in turn, bring that back into the Government of Canada, is quite critical.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

In your understanding of the job that's been given to you—it's a big job—do you have any idea of the challenges with regard to sovereignty? What do you think the challenges are in making sure that Canada's sovereignty is fully protected and well-kept?

[Virginia Mearns]

The challenges or the pressures that bring about discussion on the question of Canada's sovereignty are definitely the international interests in the Arctic, and, being an Arctic state, that does draw a lot of attention to the Canadian Arctic communities. It is, I feel, a long-standing priority for Canada. It's not just a flavour-of-the-day exercise that is happening. This is a very important component and region of Canada, and that's reflected in the relationships that have already been established and maintained with territorial governments and rights holder organizations, and the establishment of a variety of different functions, whether they be regulatory bodies as a result of negotiated and ratified modern treaties or not.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Do you believe we have any dispute over territorial integrity in the Arctic—as far as Canada's 20% share goes—with any of the members of the Arctic Council, or with others that are not members of the Arctic Council but that have an interest in the north?

[Virginia Mearns]

I don't think there is an outright dispute.

There are, as we know, a variety of different international venues through which states are able to assert...or participate in processes that help identify and confirm the boundaries, for example. We know there are multiple states that have an interest in the same areas. It's not unique to the Arctic.

This is something that is exercised, but I'm not well equipped to get into the details of that right now.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

I want to be a bit specific, since you mentioned the other players.

For example, China has been showing interest. They're making moves, somehow, in the Arctic—sending icebreakers in and so forth, and claiming they're doing some scientific research. That's a big concern as well, again, regarding territorial integrity and Canada's interests there.

Have you had any interaction with a Chinese representative or any other members with regard to Arctic sovereignty issues?

[Virginia Mearns]

I have not.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Well, that's a short answer, but thank you. I just want to confirm that.

What do you think? If we look at the list of challenges we have, what is top of mind for you, our ambassador to the Arctic, as far as those priorities go? What kinds of priorities do we have, and how are we going to deal with them?

[Virginia Mearns]

Is that in the domestic context?

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

It's domestic and international.

[Virginia Mearns]

There are long-standing, wide-ranging priorities for our northern and Arctic communities. The recognition of this was solidified in the exercise of the co-development of the Arctic and northern policy framework, which was undertaken in 2019. That helped set the stage for the way the Government of Canada engages with our northern Arctic partners on domestic matters. It is a mechanism to address those concerns or priorities. I think that is a very strong indicator of what can come about because, subsequent to that, there have been policies developed, including the Arctic foreign policy, which has built off the international chapter.

It is quite critical for us to ensure that we maintain the dynamics that came about as a result of the finalization of the Arctic and northern policy framework. It is a critical exercise, and our partners who spent the time to help co-develop it take it very seriously.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you very much.

Next, we'll go to MP Rob Oliphant.

You have six minutes.

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, both, for appearing today.

Congratulations to Ambassador Mearns on your appointment. I'm really wishing you all the best in this.

Also, to Ambassador Sinclair, I think the ink is still wet on the order in council. You have one foot in your director general job and one foot in your new ambassadorship. I do feel that I'm a little with the old and the new. I think that's quite an interesting shift because the work that you have done, Mr. Sinclair, has led to some significant policy changes, including appointments of a consulate general in Nuuk and soon, I hope, in Anchorage, as well as the ambassador's appointment as our Arctic ambassador.

In my head right now, Ambassador Mearns, is the balancing that you'll be required to do. There are issues of Arctic co-operation as the venue where we've had the most international co-operation, maybe in the world, and issues of Arctic competition, with the exit of Russia off centre stage, and now with other players, as Mr. Aboultaif spoke about. It's balancing co-operation and competition, and balancing the need for economic development, resource development infrastructure and the environment in a fragile world in which the Arctic is probably the most fragile part for Canada in climate change.

The third one is, really, on balancing indigenous knowledge and traditions, and science, engaging in what many Canadians would consider primary. You have some balancing to do.

How does that feel for you, and what do you think the challenges will be in maintaining your balance in the midst of that?

[Virginia Mearns]

Thank you for that.

It is absolutely going to be an exercise of balance throughout all of this.

It is going to be quite critical to ensure that we keep in mind, and in the forefront, the fact that there are many elements that we have to contemplate on a daily basis. It's something that not only are we doing but also our communities are doing now, and they have been for quite some time. Because of that balancing exercise, it has informed a lot of the way in which we do our work now and the way in which we engage.

I'm thinking of our indigenous communities that, on the science front, really advocated and pushed to ensure that traditional indigenous knowledge was respected, in balance with western science, and that it maintained just as much prominence when there's contemplation that is required.

Also, there's the fact that our northern communities are trying to pursue economic development to diversify their own economies and to strengthen their economies locally. Also, it's really tackling the quite difficult questions of how to ensure stewardship of the environment because that is so critical, from our indigenous community perspective, to ensure that we have a healthy relationship with our environment.

I will endeavour to pursue it. I'm thinking about being the first one to do this. There is, thankfully, a lot that we can continue to learn from, and we can also lean on our communities to have the insight that is going to be very beneficial for us going forward.

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Thank you.

I was in Reykjavik for the Arctic Circle Assembly. What I noticed, perhaps since I've been involved in this issue for many years, was Canada's prominence at that event. It was different, partly with the absence of two bigger partners. Russia was not there, and the Americans, due to their shutdown of government, weren't present.

I found that indigenous people—from Sami and other Greenlandic people, as well as northern and western European countries—were looking to Canada for leadership. Does that feel like an opportunity or a challenge?

[Virginia Mearns]

I think it could be both.

I think we should pursue it as an opportunity. It is an exciting moment in time to be able to pursue or to strengthen those relationships that we already have. It also helps us to continue the exercise of reflection on what is happening within Canada, to do a bit of a gut check to make sure that we are comfortable not only with being able to demonstrate best practices but also with being able to support and elevate the voices of our fellow Canadians on the international stage and to really promote our success stories.

We have a lot of successes that we're very proud of, and we want to ensure that folks who want to learn more about those have the opportunity to do so.

Thank you.

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

One of my frustrations has been that southern Canadians know very little about the north. We tend to romanticize it.

I've lived north of 60 for a number of years, and the frustration there was how little people in Canada know about the north and the Arctic.

Could it also be part of your mandate to help us understand it?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Give a very brief answer, please.

[Virginia Mearns]

I anticipate that will be very much a part of my day-to-day domestically and internationally.