Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Canada's first ambassador for circumpolar affairs, Mary Simon, is visiting Yellowknife today and tomorrow, the 16th and 17th of this month.
Ambassador Simon is well-known to Members of this Assembly for her work as past-president of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference and for her role over the past decade in national constitutional negotiations.
For several years, this government has supported the call for an ambassador for circumpolar affairs as a means of elevating and strengthening Canada's Arctic diplomacy. We had also stressed the importance of appointing a northerner to this post. Therefore, we were extremely pleased when Ms. Simon was appointed by Foreign Affairs Minister, Andre Ouellet, in October 1994.
Ambassador Simon will ensure that the federal government has a northern circumpolar perspective in the development and conduct of Canada's foreign policy. She is to be commended for moving quickly to consult with northern aboriginal peoples and governments which have a background in circumpolar affairs.
Until recently, Canada's foreign policy interests in the Arctic region were centred around Canadian sovereignty and strategic concerns. However, as the recently-released federal government statement on foreign policy states: "The focus in the Canadian Arctic is increasingly on non-traditional security threats. Canada's recent appointment of an ambassador for circumpolar affairs will increase the focus on such threats."
The new concerns include such matters as threats to the environment with the resulting costs for traditional ways of life of aboriginal peoples.
One of the purposes of Ambassador Simon's visit to Yellowknife this week is to advise this government and the
Members of this Assembly about her duties and mandate as Canada's circumpolar ambassador.
In addition, she will be updating us on a Canadian foreign policy objective which is very important for this region; namely, the establishment of an "Arctic Council." The Arctic Council would be comprised of eight Arctic governments: Canada, the United States, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden; and would provide a forum for promoting international cooperation and for addressing the full range of Arctic issues.
The Government of the Northwest Territories has also supported the creation of an Arctic council which would include the participation of aboriginal peoples.
The United States has not yet agreed to join the Arctic council initiative. Their willingness to participate is seen as essential by most of the other circumpolar nations. Ambassador Simon has been to Washington and Alaska and will be updating us on her discussions with them on this and other issues.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, the ambassador's visit will provide this government and this Assembly with an opportunity to discuss with her our circumpolar concerns and priorities. I want to take this opportunity, again, to congratulate Mary Simon on her appointment to this important post, and to express our willingness to work with her over the next few days and in the coming months and years. Thank you.
---Applause