National Defence committee  My view of the Russian problem—and it is a problem, especially when it comes to stewardship—is that there is so much that needs to be done that Canada alone is not going to be able to make a basic difference. I think the seven other Arctic countries should get together. Above all, the United States should be persuaded to approach the Russians for a new beginning in the Arctic, a new strategic understanding.

National Defence committee  To obtain greater constancy?

National Defence committee  It's a good question. Even if we became stewards, how much more constant would our behaviour be in the Arctic? I don't have a good answer to that. I think it would be better. It would be less dependent upon a threat. It would be more dependent upon ambition and determination and maybe on Canadian values; that is, on things we want to do.

National Defence committee  This is a big question that we haven't really asked in this country: what do we want to have, and what is our judgment, and when you think about it, what cargoes are likely to go through the Northwest Passage as opposed to the Panama Canal? To the lower eastern seaboard of the United States, it may be that cargoes will go via Panama.

National Defence committee  Someone has to take the lead, and in my view, it should be Canada. We should start speaking and acting in favour of stewardship. I think we should start acting in the North American context. We should be talking to the United States, but we should also be talking to Greenland, that is, Denmark.

National Defence committee  I'd say it would be since the land claim agreement in 1993. We've been slow to act. You need only read Thomas Berger's report about the implementation of the land claim agreement and the need for federal support for a new educational policy in Nunavut.

National Defence committee  I think there needs to be a stronger remote sensing capability. There may need to be a more frequent use of unmanned or unpiloted aircraft for sensing. There may need to be a capacity to detect submarines going through. These things we do not have. There could be pre-positioned emergency response equipment and supplies, which would be the responsibility of the armed forces to look after.

National Defence committee  On the latter question, it's the marine council again. It seems to me to be a way in which Inuit can be more involved in northern governments, especially on maritime or marine issues, and we would start with a marine setting. But also, there could be.... Is there a committee of the House of Commons for high northern or Arctic affairs?

National Defence committee  There is. Okay. I should know that, but I've not read any of the proceedings. There's a place where some things can be done. As to renaming of things, I have not heard of this. It's an interesting proposition. I think I'd favour, if you ask me, Canadian Arctic Passage. The Northwest Passage is actually a passage that has an historic meaning that maybe should be respected.

National Defence committee  Yes. If these ships go through under Canadian law, they reinforce the Canadian position that these are our Canadian waters. If they go through in violation of Canadian law, then we get into trouble, but nobody's doing that. I would think that the outlook is going to be for ships to conform to Canadian regulations, which are increasingly inseparable or indistinguishable from the regulations that would be used if the Northwest Passage were actually an international strait.

National Defence committee  There is great variability in ice conditions in the Canadian Arctic and perhaps in the Arctic as a region. In the years up to 2007, whatever it was, there was reduction, and suddenly a very sharp reduction, in the summertime ice coverage in the Arctic Ocean. Since then it has been increasing each year.

National Defence committee  Actually, those are more professional questions about the use of armed force, which I really don't have a handle on except to say that the military provides in the Arctic a platform and capabilities that all other government departments can use. It's in many cases vital if there is a need for sudden action, and perhaps if there's a need for surveillance as well, long-term surveillance.

National Defence committee  I'm not so sure whether it's the villages that should be included in the strategy, but yes, Inuit Quebec and the Inuit area of Labrador should be part of the northern strategy, it seems to me. I should reread the document, but I'm not sure they're excluded. If they're not excluded, then it's up to them and up to their friends to say let's include them and make sure they're not forgotten.

National Defence committee  The other parties are all of the Arctic eight, if you like, or simply the five coastal Arctic countries, if you want to simplify this to begin with. Indeed, let's hold it to the five. The readiness to cooperate is not great right now. There have been some words and statements made of good wishes and intentions, but the fact is that in the Arctic Council and elsewhere, the five, and indeed the Arctic eight, have confined themselves to studies and statements about guidelines and things that should be done.

National Defence committee  Yes, that's a good question. The United States is really not aware, as I say, of itself as an Arctic country. The Alaskans themselves feel cut off from the lower 40, and there is just a lack of connection to the Arctic—until lately. Things are starting to change now. What actually changed is that there has been all this talk about climate change and melting of the ice.