Greenland’s gamble
From his purchase of New Jersey casinos to his proposed acquisition of Greenland, Donald Trump’s real estate deals have always been plagued by bad timing. The United States could probably have bought Greenland from Denmark in 1917 (when it did buy the U.S. Virgin Islands from the Danes), but he’s a century too late now. […]
Feds offer ‘lip-service’ on committee roadmap to improve Arctic sovereignty, Tory MP says
The government’s “pablum” and “anodyne” answer to a committee’s call for action in the Arctic doesn’t reflect the urgent need to protect Canadian sovereignty, say a Liberal and Conservative MP. Conservative MP Erin O’Toole (Durham, Ont.), his party’s foreign affairs critic, said the government only offered “lip-service” in response to the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s […]
Premiers’ meeting sheds light on the real dimensions of Canada’s energy politics
OTTAWA—With Doug Ford going on about how the increasingly conservative lineup of provincial leaders is a driver of concerted Canada-wide action, a reporter at a premiers’ press conference asked the Ontario premier if British Columbia fits that mould. “We look forward to meeting with Premier Hogirth…” replied Ford. Nearby, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney prompted: “Horgan.” […]
How Indigenous peoples are reclaiming control over academics’ research agenda
In Canada, the resource-based industry contributes a significant portion of the gross national product. There has been increasing tension, however, between developers and Indigenous peoples, especially when the proposed project affects Indigenous lands. Legacy projects such as the Giant Mine in the Northwest Territories or the chloro-alkali plant upstream of Grassy Narrows in Ontario […]
Is the nature of Arctic co-operation about to change?
Scientific co-operation on Arctic issues crosses state borders and regional boundaries. An intergovernmental forum, the Arctic Council, which comprises the eight Arctic states, six Arctic Indigenous people’s organizations (as permanent participants), and a growing number of observers, provides a way for scientists from Arctic and non-Arctic countries to contribute to its working groups. The Arctic […]
Arctic sovereignty is contested, Inuit rights are not
Recently, the question of “who owns the Arctic” was thrust back into the news following comments by U.S. Secretary General Mike Pompeo challenging Canada’s sovereignty over the Northwest Passage. Pompeo was speaking at the Arctic Council’s Ministerial meeting in Rovaniemi, Finland. In his speech, Pompeo restated the long-held American position that the Northwest Passage is […]
Is the Navy missing a great opportunity?
OTTAWA—At a recent Canadian Maritime Advisory Council meeting in Ottawa, I was disappointed to learn again that the Royal Canadian Navy still had no plan to install multi-beam echo sounders (MBES) on the Arctic offshore patrol ships (AOPS) which are under construction now. I was also concerned with the fact that only approximately eight per […]
International interest in the Arctic continues to heat up, is Canada ready?
The Arctic has always been an important symbol for Canada, a geographic statement of our place and status in the world as a northern power. Unfortunately, Canada’s interest in and attention to the Arctic has often been just symbolic. Generations of Canadians and their governments have grown used to thinking of the Arctic as “up […]
Inuit Nunangat policy space would be a sign of genuine reconciliation
All perspective is relative, including what is North. “The North” means different things to different people in different contexts; Thunder Bay, Churchill and Grise Fjord are all “northern” from various policy perspectives, but have very different and distinct needs. “The North” as a policy space within the Canadian context is a notional concept without a […]
Building a new Arctic strategy for Canada
In April, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development issued a comprehensive report on the Arctic. The report is timely because of the rising ambitions of other nations in the Arctic, the impacts of climate change, and increasing commercial activity in Arctic waters. Ensuring security in the region will mean pursuing a strategy […]
