Foreign Affairs committee  It would be very helpful and interesting to see, from their perspective, the way that other Arctic countries have dealt with resources and the lessons they've learned. Resource development in the Arctic is difficult, so to hear from any country with some expertise in that area would be welcome.

Foreign Affairs committee  That's correct.

Foreign Affairs committee  We need to develop a strategy that looks forward 10 or 20 years and is based on the basic infrastructure needs at community levels, particularly ports and airports. We're never going to develop road systems, or it will be many years before even a railway system exists, but ports are critical.

Foreign Affairs committee  We need ports.

Foreign Affairs committee  We need port infrastructure. There are no wharves. They are building a wharf in Pangnirtung for fishery ships, but it's not a deepwater port. It's going to be limited in terms of the size of ships that can come in. Other than that, there are no ports anywhere. When we're doing our emergency planning, the critical thing for us is what will happen if we have to get equipment into a community in the wintertime.

Foreign Affairs committee  I know that Russia has invested heavily in its Arctic communities and infrastructure, both in ports and in basic infrastructure.

Foreign Affairs committee  I would suggest to you that the economic development coming into the north in the next 15 to 20 years is going to pay back any infrastructure building. Given the amount of mineral resources, the oil and gas, the potential in the Arctic is there. To develop these, you're going to need that transportation system.

Foreign Affairs committee  She understands the north, and she understands the challenges. Our feeling is that the Arctic Council is not so much a foreign group as a group of like-minded people who think about Arctic issues. While they are international, they are very focused on what they are looking at. They are looking at their areas and their peoples in those areas.

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes, I do.

Foreign Affairs committee  Right now, I think the restrictions that Russia has put on its people is a mistake on its part. Hopefully, it will rethink that.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair, for the invitation to speak today. As I am a long-time northerner, in my opinion the perfect person was chosed when it was announced that the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq would chair the Arctic Council. While many study the north, you can only truly understand the challenges and complexities facing the north if you have lived there.