An NWT Minister recently helped with the launch of a new federal program.
On Friday, December 6th, the Honourable Melanie Joly, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the NWT, officially introduced Canada’s Arctic Foreign Policy (AFP). The AFP is the result of several months of coordination between various Territorial governments, as well as Inuit, First Nations, and Metis groups. Collaboration was also conducted with other Arctic partners: the Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the United States.
The AFP is designed around four main pillars of Canada’s interest in the arctic. Those priorities are the assertion of Canada’s sovereignty, advancing Canada’s interests through diplomacy, leadership in the Arctic, and a more inclusive approach to Arctic diplomacy.
The inspiration to create the AFP is to tackle the everchanging challenges of the Arctic. As a major element of Canada’s history and culture, the Federal Government felt that it is important to find ways to navigate a shifting geopolitical landscape, as well as the slow march of climate change.
In a statement made for the announcement of the AFP, Minister Joly said that “competition is growing across the globe, and the Arctic is not immune. Many countries, including non-Arctic states, aspire for a greater role in Arctic affairs. The evolving security and political realities in the region mean we need a new approach to advance our national interests and to ensure a stable, prosperous and secure Arctic, especially for the Northerners and the Indigenous Peoples who call Arctic home.”
The Canadian Arctic covers 40% of Canada’s territory and more than 70% of its coastline and is home to many Canadians, including Indigenous Peoples, who have inhabited the land for millennia.
