Following promises made in last fall's election campaign and, more recently, in last November's throne speech, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper revealed that the headquarters for the new Canadian Northern Development Agency (CanNor) will be built in Iqaluit, capital of Nunavut.
The Prime Minister's announcement was made during a recent tour of the North, his third tour of the region this summer. CanNor will deliver funding for economic development, advocacy, and research. The newly established agency will receive $50 million in federal funds over the next five years.
The decision to locate the new agency's headquarters in Iqaluit has been met opposition from several senior government officials, stating difficulties finding enough housing and staff. Mr. Harper responded that challenges such as these are exactly the reason for establishing an economic development agency and, therefore, the government must place the agency directly where the challenges are the greatest.
CanNor will also have satellite offices located in Whitehorse and Yellowknife, as the agency is designed to work cooperatively with all the Northern territories. The new agency will take over some existing federal programs and will develop new programs adapted to the territories' realities.
As several other nations have their sights on the resource-rich northern territories, the Harper government is determined to concretize Canadian sovereignty over the region. Establishment of this stand-alone regional economic development agency will allow the Federal government to work with the region to help it reach its full potential, both human and economic.
The Premiers of both the Yukon and Northwest territories welcomed Mr. Harper's announcement but added that additional key economic developments are crucial to their respective territories in order to strengthen the entire Arctic region.
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Showing posts with label oil industry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label oil industry. Show all posts
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Breaking the Arctic Ice
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been investing time, money, and energy to assert Canadian sovereignty over Arctic territories that are sparsely populated yet richly endowed in natural resources.
The Prime Minister recently visited the community of Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut. Nunavut's population is thinly spread over a territory equal in size to both Alaska and Texas combined. Poverty and suicide are quite rampant in these northern communities, as are serious problems of substance abuse. Unfortunately, there are limited resources available for treatment centres. This issue was one of several discussed with the Prime Minister on his visit.
Canada is not the only nation looking towards these northern regions. The area is rich in natural resources, including huge oil deposits. The U.S. Geological Service estimates that the Arctic regions contain enough oil to supply global demand for three years. Global warming has contributed to an erosion of sea ice thus making passage to the Arctic via the Northwest Passage easier. Canada claims that the Northwest Passage is sovereign Canadian territory while the U.S. claims that it is an international waterway. Joining the U.S. claim are other countries with eyes trained on the Arctic and its treasure trove of natural resources. Russia and Denmark have been heard to lay sovereignty claims to areas in the Arctic in recent years.
Prime Minister Harper's move to enhance the communities of the Arctic is intended to spur economic and social growth, thus creating a contiguous territory. His government intends to relinquish much regional economic planning to local regional councils. Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak has called on Ottawa to give the Arctic region more control over its offshore energy resources as well as its derived benefits.
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The Prime Minister recently visited the community of Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut. Nunavut's population is thinly spread over a territory equal in size to both Alaska and Texas combined. Poverty and suicide are quite rampant in these northern communities, as are serious problems of substance abuse. Unfortunately, there are limited resources available for treatment centres. This issue was one of several discussed with the Prime Minister on his visit.
Canada is not the only nation looking towards these northern regions. The area is rich in natural resources, including huge oil deposits. The U.S. Geological Service estimates that the Arctic regions contain enough oil to supply global demand for three years. Global warming has contributed to an erosion of sea ice thus making passage to the Arctic via the Northwest Passage easier. Canada claims that the Northwest Passage is sovereign Canadian territory while the U.S. claims that it is an international waterway. Joining the U.S. claim are other countries with eyes trained on the Arctic and its treasure trove of natural resources. Russia and Denmark have been heard to lay sovereignty claims to areas in the Arctic in recent years.
Prime Minister Harper's move to enhance the communities of the Arctic is intended to spur economic and social growth, thus creating a contiguous territory. His government intends to relinquish much regional economic planning to local regional councils. Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak has called on Ottawa to give the Arctic region more control over its offshore energy resources as well as its derived benefits.
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canada economy,
natural resources,
oil industry,
waterways,
world economy
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