Mr. Speaker, I would like to advise the hon. member that in May 2008, at Ilulissat, Greenland, the representatives of the five coastal states of the Arctic Ocean, which is Canada, Denmark, Norway, the Russian Federation and the United States, recalled the extensive international legal framework, which applies to the Arctic Ocean. It is these laws referred to in the Ilulissat declaration that serve as the basis of our co-operation in the Arctic and speak to the unquestioned nature of our sovereignty in the north.
Rather than challenges in the Arctic, Canada co-operates with these Arctic partners on issues of environmental protection, shipping standards, search and rescue and the collection of scientific data concerning the Continental Shelf.
We are co-operating with all states around the Arctic Ocean.