Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the global population grows, the climate changes and Arctic ecosystems experience unprecedented warming. Marine shipping companies have continued to expand operations through the Arctic as a result of increased traffic. One of the concerns that have been raised at the international levels is a prevalent use of heavy fuel oil, or HFO, that fuels marine vessels, as well as a lack of infrastructure in the Arctic, such as deep sea ports, small and medium craft harbours. This is something that needs to be addressed by the Government of Nunavut, the Government of Northwest Territories, the Government of Canada, Inuit and Indigenous people that live in the Arctic, working together to ensure our communities and the people are prepared as traffic increases in the Northwest Passage.

HFO is dangerous in that it is several times more polluting than other forms of fuel. For instance, HFO spills are 50 times more toxic to fish than medium and light crude oil spills. HFO produces higher amounts of black carbon than other fuels, which is the second-largest contributor to climate change after CO2. In 2012, more than 75 per cent of the fuel mass of the vessels in the Arctic was composed of HFOs. Recognizing the dangers of HFO, it has been banned in Antarctica, Mr. Speaker. However, in the Arctic, there are no regulations.

The International Maritime Organization, or IMO, is the United Nations agency responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships. As part of its work in developing international shipping-related regulations to prevent pollution of marine environments, the use of HFO in the Arctic is currently a topic of concern. This is especially true for Inuit and Indigenous people that live in the Arctic.

Mr. Speaker, there are currently no independent organizations to represent the Arctic and Indigenous peoples at the IMO. This means that the Inuit and Indigenous groups who will be most affected by the potential setting of new international policy have no direct say in how Arctic policy is developed. Instead, Indigenous groups must rely on United Nations member states to effect change.

Indigenous knowledge plays a fundamental role in Inuit culture. Without adequate representation at the IMO, Inuit voices are not heard and Indigenous knowledge is not considered, leading to potential policies that do not take into consideration the views of those who will ultimately be the most impacted.

There currently exists a gap in setting international Arctic policies, where Indigenous knowledge of Arctic Indigenous people is not considered. Until a better solution is found, Inuit and other Indigenous groups continue to partner with Arctic states to carry our voice as we regulate marine shipping. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.