Greens Question Purpose of Canadian International Centre for the Arctic

OTTAWA--The Green Party of Canada is questioning the wisdom of opening a Canadian International Centre for the Arctic in Oslo, Norway.  The Centre, which is set to open this fall, was announced last Wednesday at the Sixth Arctic Council Foreign Ministerial Meeting in Norway by Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon.  According to the government, this Centre will serve as a hub of international Arctic research in the region and will help to develop Canada's Arctic foreign policy.  “Neither of these is an appropriate purpose for a Canadian International Centre for the Arctic,” said John Streicker, Green Cabinet Critic for the Arctic and Northern Affairs.

Mr. Streicker continued, “Other than ‘use it or lose it’ Canada does not yet seem to have an Arctic policy. That policy does need to be developed, but it needs to be developed here in Canada.   With respect to research in the North, again, the focus should be here in Canada and not in some other country. In terms of people, geography, history and future, Canada's Arctic is very different from other places. If we intend to carry out Arctic research, our focus and investment should be here in Canada, not in Norway.”

The Arctic is changing rapidly and Canada needs to have a strong working relationship with our circumpolar neighbours, which may include some increased presence in Norway.  However, the focus of our Minister of Foreign Affairs really needs to be to listen closely to our northern Canadian voices and let Canadians inform policy and research priorities.

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Contact:
Michael Bernard
Communications Officer
Green Party of Canada
613-562-4916 ext. 244
(c) 613-614-4916
michael.bernard@greenparty.ca