Circumpolar Musings: Governance

Arctic resource row brings down Greenland government

Amanda Graham — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 19:18:56 GMT

( Duncan Geere/Wired.co.uk, 16 March 2013) -- Greenland's government has fallen in the wake of an argument in the country over the extent to which foreign oil and mining countries should be allowed to operate in the Arctic. The left-leaning government of the Prime Minister, Kuupik Kleist was rejected by voters in the Arctic country, which has a population of 56,000 that is 89 percent Inuit. The election was dominated by a debate over foreign investors working in Greenland. Speculation that a company called London Mining was planning to use 2,000 Chinese workers to build a vast iron ore mine to serve steel mills in Beijing, and the activities of Cairn Energy who drilled for oil off the Greenland coast in 2011 divided opinion. The election was won in the end by the Siumut party, which secured 42% of the vote, allowing it to form a coalition government, led by Alequa Hammond. She pledged to increase royalties on mining operations, and be more critical of foreign investments. "We are welcoming companies and countries that are interested in investing in Greenland," she told the BBC. "At the same time we have to be aware of the consequences as a people. Greenland should work with countries that have the same values as we have, on how human rights should be respected. We are not giving up our values for investors' sake."

PM announces final transfer of power deal for N.W.T.

Amanda Graham — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 23:32:54 GMT

(CBC News, 11 March 2013) -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a final Northwest Territories devolution deal at the territory's legislature in Yellowknife today. "Negotiators have reached a consensus on the terms of a final devolution agreement," Harper said. The final agreement, as it stands, gives the Northwest Territories more control over its natural resources — it stands to get half the money collected from oil, minerals and diamonds. Based on last year's numbers, that would have added about $69 million to the territory's budget. Five of the territory's seven aboriginal groups signed a consensus document, including Nellie Cournoyea, a former N.W.T. premier and the current chair of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. "Being part of the agreement, then we're able to ensure we can work together with what we received in our land claims agreement. So it gives us a parity with the territorial government," she said. Harper called it a historic day and applauded the territorial government led by Premier Bob McLeod. He also made a note that the final agreement will not be signed just yet. "Before this agreement is signed, our government will do its part to consult with all impacted aboriginal groups," he said. Lastly, Harper said, "It is time for the people of the Northwest Territories to take control of their destiny."

Ottawa signs $288M contract for design of Arctic ships

Amanda Graham — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 02:26:24 GMT

(CBC e, 6 March 2013) -- Ottawa has signed a $288 million contract for the design of new Arctic offshore patrol ships as part of its shipbuilding procurement project. The federal government and J.D. Irving signed a 30-month planning and engineering definition contract that will establish what ships to build and how to build them. The contract with Irving Shipbuilding of Halifax was announced by Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose on Thursday. Neither would say how many Arctic patrol ships would be built under the deal. The original estimate was between six and eight. The contract is expected to support up to 200 jobs in Nova Scotia. Irving said there will be an additional 75 jobs in other provinces. Ambrose said the design contract will ensure that construction of the ships can begin once the build contract is signed. Construction of the vessels is expected to begin in 2015.

No separate riding for Nunavik: federal boundaries commission

Amanda Graham — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:34:31 GMT

(Nunatsiaq News, 4 March 2013) -- The federal electoral district of Abitibi-James Bay-Nunavik-Eeyou keeps its name and gains two new communities in the south. That’s according to a new map of the riding released last week by the federal Electoral Boundaries Commission. The independent commission proposes every 10 years, following a national census, how to redistribute Canada’s federal ridings to reflect population changes in Canada. After this redistribution, there will be 338 seats in the House of Commons. The commission’s recommendations for change don’t affect Nunavut, which, like the other two territories, keeps its own riding. The commission had first suggested that the name of the riding that includes Nunavik should change from Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou to Abitibi-Nunavik, but its proposal doesn’t call for a separate riding for the Nunavik region, something Nunavik has lobbied for since 1972. “The redistribution of boundaries of federal electoral districts by which the territory of Nunavik would fall under two electoral districts do not take into consideration community of interest and identity,” stated a resolution passed last September at a meeting of the Kativik Regional Government councillors in Kuujjuaq. The commission said its main goal is to set boundaries so each riding would contain roughly the same number of people — 101,321 — for all of Quebec’s 78 federal ridings.

Army to scale back Arctic operations because of budget cuts

Amanda Graham — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:19:13 GMT

(David Pugliese/Ottawa Citizen, 3 March 2013) -- OTTAWA — Conservative government budget cuts are forcing Canada’s army to scale back activities in the Arctic and cease training in other areas such as deserts and mountains, according to documents obtained by the Citizen. The army is bearing the brunt of cuts to the Canadian Forces and will see its budget reduced by 22 per cent over the next several years. The budget will drop from $1.5 billion to just under $1.2 billion by 2015. The reductions will affect how the army trains as well as its operations. The decision to scale back on Arctic missions flies in the face of the Conservative government’s high-profile efforts to increase the military’s presence in the North. The army, however, indicates it has no other choice as it is struggling with the excessive price tag of operating in the Arctic. “Recent Northern exercises and operations highlight the fact that conduct of these activities can cost from five to seven times more than if they were conducted in Southern Canada,” noted the Jan. 31 planning document from army commander Lt.-Gen. Peter Devlin. “The Army will have to limit/reduce the scope of its activities in the North, thus directly impacting on Canada’s ability to exercise Arctic sovereignty.” The document, to provide direction on how the army will conduct its business this year and next, was leaked to the Citizen.

Shell's plans in Arctic at risk as Obama advisers call for halt to oil exploration

Amanda Graham — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 02:25:01 GMT

(Suzanne Goldenberg/The Guardian, 18 January 2013) -- The entire future of Shell's drilling plans in the Arctic was put in doubt on Friday after two of Barack Obama's most trusted advisers called for a permanent halt to oil exploration. In a piece for Bloomberg news, Carol Browner, who was Obama's climate adviser during his first two years in office, and John Podesta, who headed his 2009 transition team, said they now believed there was no safe way to drill for oil in the Arctic. Their opinions come at a critical time for Shell, which has invested six years and nearly $5bn trying to gain access to the vast undersea reserves of oil and natural gas in the Arctic ocean. The Obama administration this month launched a high-level review of Shell's plans for the Arctic, after a series of equipment failures and safety and environmental lapses. The company is also struggling to repair or replace its Kulluk oil rig, which ran aground over the New Year, in order to return to the Arctic when the drilling season re-opens in July. Now two of Obama's advisers are suggesting Shell and other companies should not be operating in the Arctic at all. "Developers and Barack Obama's administration assured us these operations would be safe, thanks to strict oversight and new technology. Now it seems that optimism was misplaced," Browner and Podesta write in a piece for Bloomberg View. "Following a series of mishaps and errors, as well as overwhelming weather conditions, it has become clear that there is no safe and responsible way to drill for oil and gas in the Arctic ocean."

Russia to set up Arctic border posts

Amanda Graham — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:26:12 GMT

(Voice of Russia, 16 April 2012) -- The daily Izvestiya reports that Russia's border service plans to establish 20 new Arctic border posts. The head of the Federal Security Service's (FSB) border service, Vladimir Pronichev, said the new posts are part of larger plans for the North Sea Route that include nine rescue centers for the Emergency Situations Minister and Ministry of Transportation. Pronichev said the government's program calls for 15-20 border guards to be stationed at each of the locations. Pronichev admitted "at first glance" there seems to be no need for border posts in the remote northern regions of Russia. But he said that in recent years there have been incidents when "foreign tourists" ventured into Russia's northern waters without permission and unprepared for the conditions there and needed rescue. He also said "scientific expeditions" carry out exploration there without official permission. Melting ice and technological improvements have opened new possibilities for developing hydrocarbon deposits in the Arctic, where some believe 25 percent of the world's oil and gas is located. The Izvestiya article also quotes "ice president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems Konstantin Sivkov as saying the approximately 40 "radiolocation" posts set up during Soviet times were all destroyed in the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Sivkov reminded that the 20 new border posts will have to monitor a 6,000-kilometer coastline, meaning "each border post will have to control some 300 kilometers" of coastline. Izvestiya reported the new border guards would have training not only in search and rescue, and presumably defending Russia's national borders, but also repair and maintenance of electrical stations, water systems, communications, computer systems for the new posts, and be able "to support" the landing and takeoff of planes.

As Arctic warms, world powers jostling for foothold

Amanda Graham — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:19:09 GMT

(Eric Talmadge/AP via CTV, 16 April 2012) -- YOKOSUKA, Japan - To the world's military leaders, the debate over climate change is long over. They are preparing for a new kind of Cold War in the Arctic, anticipating that rising temperatures there will open up a treasure trove of resources, long-dreamed-of sea lanes and a slew of potential conflicts. By Arctic standards, the region is already buzzing with military activity, and experts believe that will increase significantly in the years ahead. Last month, Norway wrapped up one of the largest Arctic maneuvers ever -- Exercise Cold Response -- with 16,300 troops from 14 countries training on the ice for everything from high intensity warfare to terror threats. Attesting to the harsh conditions, five Norwegian troops were killed when their C-130 Hercules aircraft crashed near the summit of Kebnekaise, Sweden's highest mountain. The U.S., Canada and Denmark held major exercises two months ago, and in an unprecedented move, the military chiefs of the eight main Arctic powers -- Canada, the U.S., Russia, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland -- gathered at a Canadian military base last week to specifically discuss regional security issues. None of this means a shooting war is likely at the North Pole any time soon. But as the number of workers and ships increases in the High North to exploit oil and gas reserves, so will the need for policing, border patrols and -- if push comes to shove -- military muscle to enforce rival claims.

Canada, Denmark may split Arctic island

Amanda Graham — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 05:03:11 GMT

(Gemma Karstens-Smith/Postmedia News via Ottawa Citizen, 12 April 2012) -- Hans Island may look like nothing more than a big, vacant rock in Arctic waters, but for decades, it has been a political thorn in the side of both the Canadian and Danish governments. That thorn soon could be removed. Ownership of the barren, 1.3-square-kilometre piece of land — located in Nares Strait, between Canada's Ellesmere Island and Greenland, which falls under the Danish Crown — has been hotly contested since the current maritime borders were drawn up in 1973. Boundaries of the surrounding waters and seabeds are clear, but each country continues to claim the land mass as their own. The disagreement has led to some famous displays of sovereignty. Danish warships and naval personnel visited the island several times from the mid-1980s to early 2000s to maintain a flag. In 2005, Canadian soldiers ventured to the island to erect a Canadian flag and to build an inukshuk in an operation code-named "Exercise Frozen Beaver." Then-defence minister Bill Graham visited the island shortly after. The argument may be permanently resolved soon, however. Sources say Canada and Denmark are close to an agreement, which would see Hans Island split between the two nations, according to a report in the National Post. The reported agreement would create a border across the island — creating Canada's second international land border — by connecting the existing maritime boundaries, which stop on the low-water mark on the south side of the land mass and begin again at the low-water mark on the north side. "This dispute is really easy; you just have to connect the dots," said Michael Byers, an expert in Arctic sovereignty at the University of British Columbia. A spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Department could not comment on the reported agreement specifically. "Canada and Denmark are cooperating in developing a mutually agreeable way forward with respect to Hans Island," Ian Trites said.

First female candidate for Iceland presidential election 2012

Amanda Graham — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 22:09:10 GMT

(IceNews, 31 March 2012) -- Herdís Þorgeirsdóttir has decided to submit her candidacy for this June’s election for the President of Iceland. She declared her intention to run at a press conference at Reykjavík Art Museum yesterday. She is the first woman to stand for President so far for this year’s election – and her decision follows a groundswell of public support for the professor to stand; not least on Facebook. Herdís is 58 years-old, is a doctor of law, and is a certified lawyer and a political scientist. She was made a professor at Bifröst University in 2004. She is also one of the owners of the Víkur legal bureau. In July 2009 she was elected president of the European Women Lawyers’ Association and she was re-elected in 2011. She has worked for the European Council on human rights issues and for the European Union on workers’ rights and equality issues, DV.is reports. She is the Icelandic representative on the EU Venice Commission and chairman of the Venice sub-commisson on human rights.

Traffic rules for Northern Sea Route

Amanda Graham — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:44:27 GMT

(Atle Staalesen/BarentsObserver, 30 March 2012) --A bill regulating shipping on the increasingly popular Northern Sea Route might be adopted this spring. Talking at a press conference organized by RIA Novosti this week, a high-ranking representative of the Russian Ministry of Transport said that the new law will regulate interaction between stakeholders and organize issues of communication. “We intend to introduce special shipping regulations for the Northern Sea Route", Vitaly Klyuev said. He maintained that the bill might be adopted by the State Duma in the course of spring 2012. A part of the bill is the establishment of a new Northern Sea Route administration. According to Mr. Klyuev, the Ministry is also starting to upgrade all navigation maps for the route. By year 2015-2016 there will be no more “white spots” on the map, he confirmed at the press conference. He also said that the responsibility for the maps will be handed over from the Ministry of Defence to a non-military structure. The new maps will display depths along the route and consequently improve safety along the route, the ministry official underlined. According to international law, countries can regulate shipping only based on special environmental requirements, as well as in areas, which are covered by ice for more than six months of the year, RIA Novosti reports. Russia has already restricted foreign vessels’ access to several areas along the route, among them in the Kara Gate, the straits connecting the Barents and Kara Seas.

[Alaska] house acts to create Alaska Arctic Policy Commission

Amanda Graham — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 23:29:11 GMT

(Alaska Native News, 29 March 2012) -- The Alaska House yesterday acted to help the state better prepare and position itself for growing Arctic activity and policy, passing a resolution forwarded by the House Finance Committee to create the Alaska Arctic Policy Commission. The idea comes from a recommendation by the Alaska Northern Waters Task Force, which met over the past two years to examine how the state can work with stakeholders, other governments and interested parties to protect the state's Arctic interests.

Federal budget offers mixed bag for North

Amanda Graham — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:28:50 GMT

(CBC News, 30 March 2012) -- The federal budget, released Thursday in Ottawa, contains some of the biggest cross-country cuts since the 1990s. Old age security eligibility will be raised to the age of 67, the penny will be phased out, and about 19,000 public sector jobs will be cut over the next three years. The budget also includes several plans for the North. Among the most notable plans is $225 million to repair harbours across the country. Included in that money is a plan to "accelerate" the construction of the harbour in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, which was originally announced in 2009. Also included in the budget is the continuation of an assessment of diamonds in the North – with a price tag of $12.3 million over two years. The plan will renew the Diamond Valuation and Royalty Assessment program, which is run by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

The Arctic Circle: Earth's final frontier?

Amanda Graham — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 06:20:54 GMT

(Charles M. Sennott/Ground Truth via GlobalPost Blogs, 27 March 2012) -- MEDFORD, Massachusetts - The Arctic Circle is the next gold rush with eight nations holding territory in the melting tundra all vying to stake a claim to the bountiful resources that lie beneath the ice flows. Or, the Arctic Circle is the next utopia, a global commons where mankind can work together to save the environment and the traditions of its indigenous people while responsible investors harvest resources the planet will need to survive. Or, it is all of these things. The truth is that the Arctic Circle is a tabula rasa, a place where political leaders, business investors, environmentalists, dreamers and schemers are all trying to assert their will and give shape to its uncertain future. What is clear is that the Arctic Circle holds the world’s largest supply of untapped resources, particularly oil and gas, as well as rare minerals. Most economists agree it stands to become the last great emerging market in the global economy. At an extraordinary conference this week at Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Iceland’s President Olafur Grimsson gathered along with more than 50 leading diplomats, politicians, academics, environmentalists and business entrepreneurs to address the foreign policy, economic, environmental and security implications in the Arctic. At the conference, titled “Voyage of Re-Discovery: Panning for Wealth in the Warming Arctic,” a general consensus emerged that the combination of a growing scarcity of resources combined with scientific breakthroughs for extracting them from the bottom of the icy waters and new pathways that are opening up due to climate change has put the Arctic at center stage in geopolitical conversation. The conference seemed to focus most sharply on the need for a precise legal and political framework for the Arctic Circle to be established by the Arctic Council, which is made up of Canada, the United States, Russia, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Finland.

Arctic Council negotiations in Stockholm

Amanda Graham — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:19:51 GMT

(Sweden Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of the Environment press release, 26 March 2012) -- Close to 180 representatives from the Arctic Council's Member States, indigenous peoples and working groups will convene on 28 29 March during Stockholm Polar Week. The agenda will include one of the Swedish Chairmanship's most important tasks -- strengthening the Arctic Council. "During the meeting in Stockholm, we hope to make a number of significant decisions on the regulatory framework for the Council's new standing secretariat in Tromsö," says Sweden's Arctic Ambassador Gustaf Lind. One year ago, the Council's members decided also to develop a plan to improve the Arctic Council's strategic communication. The Chairmanship hopes to reach a consensus on the proposal now on the table. Participants will also receive a report about the ongoing activities of the Arctic Council's working groups. Several of the groups are currently involved in identifying areas in the Arctic that are particularly worthy of protection from an integrated perspective. A more in-depth discussion concerning how the Arctic Council will proceed with this is expected at the next Senior Arctic Official (SAO) meeting in November. The SAO meeting in Stockholm is the second during the Swedish Chairmanship and will conclude the round of Arctic Council negotiations before the Deputy Ministers' meeting in May. Mr Lind will tweet from the meeting in Stockholm (@sacochair). The hashtag for the week is #polarweek.

Coast Guard asks to buy new Arctic icebreaker

Amanda Graham — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 23:53:19 GMT

(Jacqueline Klimas/Navy Times, 24 March 2012) -- The Defense Department will help bolster the Coast Guard’s presence in the Arctic, the commander of U.S. Northern Command told the Senate Armed Services Committee. Army Gen. Charles Jacoby and Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Bob Papp signed a white paper March 13 that addresses capability gaps in infrastructure, communications, domain awareness and presence in the Arctic. “Traffic has already increased over 61 percent in the Arctic since 2008,” Jacoby said at the March 13 hearing. “Security interests follow closely behind economic interests, and we will be participating in a number of venues to help lead that for the Department of Defense.” Rising global temperatures and melting sea ice are opening the Arctic as a new frontier for research, travel and oil drilling — and creating more area for the Coast Guard to patrol. To keep up, the Coast Guard is asking for $8 million in the fiscal 2013 budget to begin procurement of a new large icebreaker. Such a ship could cost $1 billion. Neither of the U.S.’s two heavy-duty Polar-class icebreakers is in service. The Polar Star is awaiting a $57 million upgrade set to be finished in December. Its sister ship, Polar Sea, has been docked in Seattle since 2010 with engine issues. The medium-duty polar icebreaker Healy is designed for research and cannot cut through the thickest ice. As countries like Russia and even China grow their icebreaker fleet, Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, emphasized how critical it is for the U.S. to keep up.

Mega-municipalities arise in Lapland

Amanda Graham — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:29:21 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 8 February 2012) -- The committee set up to study the future structure of municipalities in Finland presents controversial structural map of how Finland’s local governance will look like by 2015. The government says the number of municipalities can be reduced from today’s 336 to somewhere between 66 and 70. In Lapland, new mega-municipalities will arise. Merging Inari and Utsjoki in the northeast and Enontekiö, Kittilä, Muonio and Kolari into new municipalities will by far be the two largest local administrative units in Western Europe. The Ministry of Finance says in a press-release that merging municipalities will save costs and make public administrations more effective.

Norway could shut China out of Arctic Council after diplomatic snubs

Amanda Graham — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:16:12 GMT

(Jonathan Watts/The Guardian, 25 January 2012) -- Norway could shut China out of the Arctic Council if Beijing does not stop a campaign of diplomatic snubs imposed after the Nobel peace prize was awarded to Liu Xiaobo, a Norwegian newspaper has reported. If confirmed, Oslo's move would mark a bold confrontation with the world's fastest rising economic power and highlight the growing importance of the Arctic, which is opening up for navigation and mineral exploitation as it melts due to global warming. China's relations with Norway have been frosty since October 2010, when the Oslo-based Nobel committee announced that Liu, an imprisoned Chinese democracy activist, would be the next peace laureate. Although the Norwegian government has stressed that the Nobel committee is independent, Beijing has punished its host nation by cutting political and human rights dialogues. Until now, Norway has tried to use quiet diplomacy to ease the situation but, with little sign of progress, the Aftenposten, Norway's best selling newspaper, claims the government is preparing to up the stakes. Citing an unnamed high-level diplomatic source, the paper said Norway would find it difficult to agree to China's application to be a permanent observer on the Arctic Council while the current situation persisted.

New website calls on Icelandic president to stand again

Amanda Graham — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:37:12 GMT

(IceNews, 21 January 2010) -- Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, President of Iceland, has so far kept quiet over the news that a group of supporters has opened a petition website asking the incumbent head of state to stand for re-election in June. The President has been in office since 1996 and convention dictates that four terms is the maximum; although there is no law preventing him from standing for a fifth term. Ólafur’s supporters hope that if 40,000 or more people sign the online petition then the President will succumb to their wish for him to stand again. In his new year address to the nation, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (arguably) indicated that he would not stand at this years presidential election; but when pushed for definite confirmation since then he has repeatedly refused to comment. The website was opened yesterday at a press conference in Reykjavík; presented by its creators. The supporters of the President include former government ministers Guðni Ágústsson and Ragnar Arnalds, Vísir.is reported. The petition site had 1,828 signatures at the time of writing and the message those signatories are sending is as follows: “We the undersigned urge you, Mr. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, to put yourself forward as a candidate for the presidential election this summer. We trust you more than most other people to stand watch for the interests of the people during the difficult times which lie ahead.”

Arctic airbase expansion considered, documents say

Amanda Graham — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:09:08 GMT

(David Pugliese/Postmedia News, 27 December 2011) -- The Royal Canadian Air Force has looked at a major expansion at Resolute Bay, Nunavut, as it considers transforming it into a key base for Arctic operations, according to documents obtained by Postmedia. The construction of a 3,000-metre paved runway, hangars, fuel installations and other infrastructure has been proposed as part of an effort to support government and military operations in the North. Resolute Bay in Nunavut would be able to provide a logistics site for search-and-rescue operations as well as a base for strategic refuelling aircraft, according to the briefing from the Arctic Management Office at 1 Canadian Air Division, the air force's Winnipeg-based command and control division. The briefing was presented in June 2010 and recently released by the Defence Department under the Access to Information law. The long paved runway would allow fighter aircraft to operate from the site, with the suggestion in the presentation that could include NORAD (North American Aerospace Defence Command) jets. Resolute Bay now has a 1,981-metre gravel runway, according to information provided for pilots by the federal government. Resolute Bay should be considered for expansion to become a main operating base because it is "the geostrategic centre to the Arctic and (Northwest) Passage" and is an "existing regional supply hub with a permanent population/sea access," according to the briefing. It would be seen as a "key Arctic regional development and sovereignty centrepiece."

Russia's Medvedev vows to boost Arctic exploration

Amanda Graham — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:22:50 GMT

(Vladimir Isachenkov/AP via Yahoo! News, 11 November 2011) -- President Dmitry Medvedev said Friday that Russia must invest more in the Arctic amid tough competition from other nations for the region's mineral riches. Medvedev said in televised remarks to workers in the fareastern city of Khabarovsk that Russia will take the necessary security steps and other moves to protect its interests in the polar region. "We simply must continue our research of the Arctic Ocean and the Arctic in general, because if we fail to do that other countries will take control," Medvedev said. "It's our shores, and it's our sea." "We will defend our interests in the region, naturally including security issues," he added. Russia, the United States, Canada, Denmark and Norway have all been trying to assert jurisdiction over parts of the Arctic, believed to hold up to a quarter of the Earth's undiscovered oil and gas. With shrinking polar ice opening up new opportunities for exploration, Russia, Canada and Denmark have said they would file claims with the United Nations that an undersea 1,240-mile (2,000-kilometer) mountain range that crosses the polar region called the Lomonosov Ridge is an extension of their respective territories.

Who does the Arctic belong to?

Amanda Graham — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:25:11 GMT

(Voice of Russia, 9 November 2011) -- Who has a right to a share of “the Arctic pie”, only coastal nations or all of the countries of the world? The coastal countries insist that the Arctic Region is their domain, and geographically, they have a reason for thinking so. While trying to settle any issues of discord within the Arctic Council, Russia, the United States, Canada, Norway and Denmark have each developed their own strategy for tapping the resources of the disputed region. In September 2008, Russia adopted The Basic Principles of State Policy regarding the Arctic, and Norway its Northern Strategy. In January 2009, the United States passed its Arctic Doctrine, and in the summer of 2009 Canada introduced its Northern Strategy. Some of the provisions of the four strategies overlap. The Arctic Region is described as a strategic resource base for each of the nations and for the world as a whole. In addition, each state is to undertake the tasks of developing the economic and social spheres, protecting the environment, improving the management of, and promoting scientific research in its sector of the Arctic. ... This [past] summer, a Chinese businessman acquired 300 square kilometers of wilderness in the northeast of Iceland. This might be Beijing’s first move towards claiming part of the Arctic. The Arctic states are sure, however, that they are capable of addressing the problems facing the region on their own. Whatever the outcome, given that resources from the Arctic will be supplied to other countries as well, the development of the Arctic will benefit all countries of the world.

A right-wing victory for the sitting Prime Minister

Amanda Graham — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:26:01 GMT

(Official Newsletter of Invest in the Faroes and the Faroese Securities Market, 8 November 2011) -- Never before has the sitting Prime Minister in the Faroe Islands managed to retain political control while at the same time increasing his party's representation in parliament. But this is exactly what Mr Kaj Leo Johannesen, Prime Minister and Leader of the Unionist Party, did in the Faroese parliamentary election on Saturday. The parliamentary election on Saturday signalled a clear victory for the conservative right wing in the Faroe Islands. The big winner of the election was Mr Kaj Leo Johannesen, who has been Prime Minister for the past three years. He is the Leader of the Unionist Party, a conservative political party that wants to maintain the political connection between the Faroe Islands and Denmark. The sitting Prime Minister even managed to win an additional seat in parliament for his party, which already had seven seats. The success of the Unionist Party means that there is almost no doubt that Johannesen will be forming and leading the new Faroese government for the four years to come. The second big winner of the election was the People's Party, another right-wing political party which also managed to win eight seats in Parliament. However, compared to the Leader of the Unionist Party, the Leader of the People's Party, Mr Jørgen Niclasen, is in a weak position. Three other members of the People's Party got more votes than Niclasen, and it is already well-known that the popular female party member, Ms Annika Olsen, is going to challenge Niclasen's leadership. It is also expected that a second member of the party, Mr Jacob Vestergaard, will make an attempt to become Leader of the party. The Faroe Islands are currently being governed by a minority coalition government comprised of the Unionist Party and the Social Democratic Party. Johannesen, the Prime Minister and Leader of the current coalition government, has announced that he would like to form a new government quickly. Because of his victory in the election on Saturday, he is able to negotiate with the other parties from a position of strength. It is therefore expected that the winning parties will soon sign a coalition co-operation document and form the new government.

Yukon First Nations Party established

Amanda Graham — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:30:35 GMT

(Nadine Sander-Green/Whitehorse Daily Star, 9 September 2011) -- Only three days before Premier Darrell Pasloski announced the territorial election, one Burwash Landing resident started a political party. Gerald Dickson, a member of the Kluane First Nations, registered the Yukon First Nations Party on Tuesday. He already has the mandatory two candidates to be considered an official party in the election. Dickson, 47, is the leader of the newly-formed party and will also run as a candidate in Kluane. Stanley James, longtime Carcross resident, will represent Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes. Dickson said Thursday there also might be a candidate interested in running in Pelly-Nisutlin. Stacey Hassard defeated incumbent Justice Minister Marian Horne for that riding’s nomination last month. Dickson said the reason he started the party is simple: his elders’ voices are not being heard. Action, he said, is required to manifest the traditional laws of respect, honour, love, compassion and harmony. And Dickson believes only First Nations people can really understand First Nations issues. “We want the natural laws to be honoured and respected,” he said. Sustaining First Nations’ natural and cultural resources, Dickson told the Star, is at the very heart of the party’s beliefs. He did admit, though, that he hasn’t yet sat down with James nor other people interested in the party to flesh out its policies and platform.

Canada "too small" to develop Northwest Passage shipping, diplomat says

Amanda Graham — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:28:00 GMT

(Beatrice Fantoni/Postmedia News via Ottawa Citizen, 8 August 2011) -- Canada will lose out to Russia's Arctic shipping routes because it is too small to finance the infrastructure, France's ambassador for the polar regions said Monday. Melting polar ice will make Canada's Northwest Passage more accessible in the next decades, but Canada does not seem interested in exploiting it for shipping, said Michel Rocard, who recently returned from a tour of the Arctic aboard the Canadian icebreaker Amundsen. "I have the impression that Canada has given up on the competition to attract a large part of the traffic in 25 or 30 years," Rocard said. The former French prime minister said Canada is "too small to finance itself the infrastructure" needed to spur commercial shipping through its Northwest Passage — a shorter route between European and Asian markets than the Suez and Panama canals. In contrast, Rocard said, Russia is an "Arctic force" with several icebreakers, including four new nuclear-powered ones. Rob Huebert, a professor in circumpolar relations at the University of Calgary, said it's not a question of being "too small" but rather one of political will and economics determining how fast Canada moves on developing transpolar trade. "We still haven't really made up our minds if we want international shipping coming though our waterways," Huebert said. "Because there's still ice there's not the economic argument for transpolar shipping." Huebert said shipping companies that transit through the Panama Canal or around the tip of South America still can't be convinced to take the northern route because it requires an icebreaker escort and the shipping season is shorter. He added there is no "concentrated effort" to chart Canada's Arctic waterways to reflect recent changes in sea ice, making it dangerous in some cases for vessels to travel through. U.S. researchers have said global warming could leave the region ice-free by 2030.

Work on self-government for Nunavik will continue: Makivik

Amanda Graham — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 20:49:43 GMT

(Sarah Rogers/Nunatsiaq News, 29 April 2011) -- KUUJJUAQ - Nunavimmiut will continue to work towards self-government, despite saying a clear “no” to a proposed Nunavik Regional Government this week, says Makivik Corp. president Pita Aatami. The region’s April 27 referendum sunk a proposal to merge existing regional organizations and set up a new Nunavik Assembly, after two-thirds of voters said “no” to this plan. If the “yes” side had won, there would also have been further negotiations needed to give the NRG more powers, Aatami said. “We wouldn’t have been at a stage where we could say that we had our own government yet,” Aatami told Nunatsiaq News in an interview from Montreal. “We’ve been in discussions for over four years on this – what’s another few months or years? “There’s still a lot of work to do.” Aatami said the referendum result came as no surprise. The concerns that people raised about protecting the Inuit language and culture were legitimate, he said, because the content and direction of the second round of negotiations were “unknown.” But many people misunderstood the final agreement, or didn’t give themselves the time to absorb its contents, he said. “In no way were we even trying to give up rights that Inuit have under the James Bay agreement,” Aatami said. ‘We were very clear, form the beginning, that further negotiations would [determine our autonomy].” Aatami defended the process adopted by the negotiators. Aatami said Nunavimmiut had the chance to stay informed through the NRG website and could ask questions in person during a field trip to Nunavik communities this past February and March. Asked if the NRG Facebook group had anything to do with the “no” vote, Aatami said he was aware of resistance to the final agreement even before that group had formed. “I had an inkling, from all the people I was speaking to,” he said. Aatami said he was pleased to see Nunavimmiut participate in the referendum’s democratic process.

Quebec Inuit vote against self-government plan

Amanda Graham — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 21:21:17 GMT

(Eye on the Arctic/CBC News, 29 April 2011) -- Inuit in the Nunavik region of northern Quebec voted this week to reject a self-government plan that was proposed for the region. About 70 per cent of citizens who cast ballots in a referendum Wednesday voted against adopting a final agreement on the creation of a Nunavik regional government. The final agreement was drafted by the federal and Quebec governments along with Makivik Corp., which represents Nunavik Inuit as set out by the James Bay and Northern Quebec agreement. But of 4,242 valid ballots cast in Wednesday's referendum, 2,842 said No to the proposed agreement while 1,400 said Yes, according to Elections Quebec. "It's back to the drawing board," Makivik Corp. president Pita Aatami told CBC News on Thursday. The three parties agreed in December 2007 to work towards establishing new self-government powers in Nunavik, with the goal of empowering Inuit in the region to govern themselves. The agreement they developed proposed merging three existing public agencies in Nunavik, namely the regional municipal administration, school board, and health and social services board. ... Despite the outcome of the referendum, Aatami said the desire remains for self-government in Nunavik, a predominantly Inuit region in northern Quebec. Aatami said he just hopes negotiations with the federal and Quebec governments can continue. "I'd like to sit down with the two governments right away, but are they open to sitting down with us right away after ... the votes that were cast?" Aatami said. "But we won't give up," he added. "We're going to keep going and try and get some more control over the region."

Canadians want the Arctic protected: Survey

Amanda Graham — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 07:20:46 GMT

(QMI Agency via Toronto Sun, 14 April 2011) -- Canadians believe the federal government should focus more on the North part of the Great White North, a new poll suggests. The vast majority of Canadians (84%) believe the Arctic is an "unspoiled and fragile and should be the priority region for protection in Canada," according to the Leger Marketing survey. What's more, a whopping 90% said Canada has a special role to play on the international stage as a protector of the Arctic. "The Arctic is one of the few remaining ecological frontiers left in the world and Canadians are fiercely protective of it," said Michael Goodyear, executive director of the Churchill Northern Studies Centre, in a press release. "At the centre, our mission is to preserve and protect the Arctic by gaining an understanding of the physical environment and social issues." Not only should we be protecting the environment in the Arctic, but we should also be taking advantage of its research and resource opportunities, the survey found. When asked who should be global leader in Arctic research. 75% said Canada, 5% said Russia, 4% said Sweden and 2% said the U.S. Meanwhile, 22% believe Arctic science should be a key strategic priority for the country, while 40% said the same about Arctic resource development and 16% pointed to Arctic security. The survey of 1,532 Canadians between Feb.7-10 has a margin of error of 2.5%.

Okalik sets sights on Ottawa

Amanda Graham — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:44:39 GMT

(Chris Windeyer/Nunatsiaq News, 6 April 2011) -- Paul Okalik is leaving territorial politics after more than a decade to take a shot at winning the Nunavut riding back for the Liberal Party. Standing on Iqaluit’s causeway, Okalik, with a –29°C wind chill bringing tears to his eyes, said he’ll step down as speaker of the Legislative Assembly and as MLA for Iqaluit West to run against Conservative incumbent Leona Aglukkaq. “I know it will be a challenge,” Okalik told reporters. “But it’s something that I haven’t done before, so I’m looking forward to the campaign, and I’m overwhelmed at the support that has been shown to me already.” Okalik is the only MLA the riding of Iqaluit has ever had since its creation in 1999. He has served as premier, justice minister and most recently as Speaker. Okalik slammed the Conservative government’s record on wildlife, pointing to an attempt by federal government scientists in August, 2010 to undertake seismic testing in Lancaster Sound and a decision to ban the export of polar bear parts. He also said he chose the causeway to announce his Liberal candidacy to underscore the point that a promised deepwater port for Iqaluit has never materialized. “We can’t just stand by and take those,” he said. “We have to show the country that ... we should have a voice.” Okalik is the third candidate to enter the Nunavut race. Aglukkaq, the federal health minister is running again for the Conservatives, while researcher Jack Hicks announced April 4 he’s running for the New Democratic Party. Nunavut MLAs will now have to elect a new speaker when they sit again in June.

Sami Parliament demands more powers

Amanda Graham — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:57:39 GMT

(SR via Eye on the Arctic, 30 March 2011) -- In a new report to be sent to the Swedish government in May, the Sami Parliament in Kiruna will demand greater self determination for the country's indigenous people. But how united are Sweden's estimated 20,000 Sami? How many feel represented by their parliament? Today only about one in ten Sami have traditional land rights but their parliament in Kiruna is still dominated by land-related divisions and disputes. Although only 5 percent of the Sami are reindeer herders, they occupy 55 percent of the seats in the Sami Parliament. “Swedish legislation has given the limited rights that indigenous people have to land and water use to the reindeer herders,” explains Peter Sköld, head of the Centre for Sami Research at Umeå University. And that gives them a better political ground to speak from – the others are totally excluded.” Since 2007 the Sami Parliament has responsibility for the reindeer industry in Sweden. But the president of the parliament, Ingrid Inga, says that's not enough - she says the government must fully recognise the Sami people's right to decide over their own affairs. "We want reforms that give us powers over areas that affect us - language, education, land use and so on. We need this so that the parliament becomes a real decision making body and not just the state agency which we are at the moment," she tells Radio Sweden.The Sami parliament has less power than a Swedish county council and is not formally consulted by the Swedish government, despite being in existence for almost two decades. “There has been a process over the last two decades where we first set up a Sami Parliament and then gave it responsibility for reindeer husbandry and now school boards,” says Eskil Erlandsson, the Swedish government minister responsible for Sami affairs. “We made a proposal [about consultation] two years ago and the Sami parliament refused it and said they wanted to think about it before deciding if they would accept the proposal.”

Nunavik residents to vote April 27 on new regional government

Amanda Graham — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 21:57:57 GMT

(Nunatsiaq News, 12 February 2011) -- Nunavimmiut will vote April 27, 2011 on the creation of the Nunavik Regional Government. The final agreement, which spells out the proposed governance model for Nunavik, has been made public in time for a regional tour, which starts Feb. 14 in Kangiqsualujjuaq. The tour gathers negotiators from all three levels of government, regional, provincial and federal, who will visit each of the 14 communities in Nunavik to explain the agreement at public meetings and answer questions. That’s so Nunavimmiut have time to absorb the new model before the April referendum, when they will vote to either accept or reject the agreement. The Nunavik Regional Government, or NRG, would amalgamate existing regional bodies like the Kativik Regional Government, the Kativik School Board, and the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, putting them under the authority of a new elected body called the Nunavik Assembly. The assembly would be made up of 20 members; a representative from each of the region’s 14 communities (elected locally), four executive council members and a leader (elected regionally) and one member from the Naskapi nation. Executive council members would hold full-time jobs.Nunavimmmiut will vote April 27, 2011 on the creation of the Nunavik Regional Government. The final agreement, which spells out the proposed governance model for Nunavik, has been made public in time for a regional tour, which starts Feb. 14 in Kangiqsualujjuaq. The tour gathers negotiators from all three levels of government, regional, provincial and federal, who will visit each of the 14 communities in Nunavik to explain the agreement at public meetings and answer questions. That’s so Nunavimmiut have time to absorb the new model before the April referendum, when they will vote to either accept or reject the agreement. The Nunavik Regional Government, or NRG, would amalgamate existing regional bodies like the Kativik Regional Government, the Kativik School Board, and the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, putting them under the authority of a new elected body called the Nunavik Assembly. The assembly would be made up of 20 members; a representative from each of the region’s 14 communities (elected locally), four executive council members and a leader (elected regionally) and one member from the Naskapi nation. Executive council members would hold full-time jobs.

Key northern agency has not had a board or a president since 2008

Amanda Graham — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:06:07 GMT

(Daniel Leblanc/Globe and Mail, 1 November 2010) -- A federal agency that oversees scientific research in polar areas, including work on climate change, has been left leaderless for more than two years by the Harper government. The Canadian Polar Commission has operated without a board of directors since the fall of 2008. It was created by the Mulroney government in 1991 to “monitor, promote, and disseminate knowledge about the polar regions to Canadians and internationally.” It has an annual budget of $1-million. “We have a very broad mandate, and the board members are the ones who have to start prioritizing what we can and can’t do,” the commission’s executive director, Steven Bigras, said in an interview. “At the end of the day, the long-term commitments – new research priorities, new projects –it’s up to the board to set those.” Mr. Bigras outlined the problems in the agency’s 2009-2010 annual report, which was submitted to the government last week. “This has been an unusual year, one that has brought successes and challenges in equal measure,” he wrote. “Since the terms of the previous board members have expired, this has affected the commission’s operation from the planning and implementation of new initiatives to ongoing interaction with the polar research community.” The commission’s last board meeting was in June, 2008, and the term of the last president, Trent University professor Tom Hutchinson, expired a few months later. The government ran an official notice in the Canada Gazette more than a year ago to find new board members, but has yet to make any appointments.

Northern leaders divided on Arctic policy

Amanda Graham — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 06:03:08 GMT

(CBC News, 23 August 2010) -- Northern politicians are split on Canada's new Arctic policy statement, with some hoping it will mean positive changes for northerners but others remaining skeptical. Issuing the statement on Friday, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said Canada will work to resolve Arctic boundary disputes with the United States and Denmark, boost northern research, as well as promote "vibrant northern communities and healthy, productive ecosystems." While the policy statement mentions devolution — giving the territories more province-like powers over their governments and resources — Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak said devolution agreements with the federal government have stalled. "They still have yet to put in place a negotiator," Aariak told CBC News. Cannon mentioned plans to promote economic and social development for people in the North. He cited the government's existing Northern Strategy, which was released last year. Overall, Aariak said she welcomes the new Arctic policy, which calls for a "rules-based" Arctic region with clearly defined boundaries and more co-operation among northern countries.

Cree now landlords within far-off corner of Nunavut

Amanda Graham — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:25:25 GMT

(Nunatsiaq News, 8 July 2010) -- The James Bay Cree of Quebec gained ownership over most of the land covered by the Nunavut territory’s most southerly chain of islands, through an offshore claim agreement signed July 7 in Chisasibi, Quebec. “This is an agreement in every sense of the word — no court orders, no arbitration, just plain, old-fashioned good-faith negotiation,” Chuck Strahl, the northern affairs minister, said at the signing ceremony. Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak and Matthew Coon Come, Grand Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees, also signed the agreement, which covers islands and waters in James Bay and Hudson Bay lying off the coast of Eeyou Istchee, the Cree region of northern Quebec. The offshore James Bay islands covered by the deal lie wholly within the boundary of the Nunavut territory, though not within the boundary of the Nunavut land claim settlement area. (See the map at the bottom of this page.) The Cree now own 80 per cent of the land mass of those islands, about 1,050 square kilometres, under a form of title that includes subsurface rights. This collection of small islands within Nunavut all lie south of Long Island just below the top of James Bay, and stretches almost to the southern end of the bay. Because these islands are not part of the Nunavut land claims settlement area, no overlap agreement with the Inuit of Nunavut was required. But because they do lie within the Nunavut territory, they’re subject to territorial legislation. The Cree Regional Authority will manage the Cree-owned islands, while Canada will retain rights to seabed, tidelands and waters.

Inuit need greater role in protecting Arctic: Committee

Amanda Graham — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 21:03:06 GMT

(Juliet O'Neill/Canwest News Service, 17 June 2010) -- OTTAWA — The government should get cracking on implementing Nunavut land claims and involving Indigenous peoples more in protecting Arctic sovereignty, the House of Commons defence committee said Thursday. An all-party report expressed "concern" that Indigenous peoples have not been accorded proper recognition for their historic role in helping ensure Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic by living in the region. "The assertion that our sovereignty depends largely on Inuit occupation of the region are a bit hollow if we continue to lag on our commitments to the Inuit and prolong the failure to implement the Nunavut land claims agreement," Jack Harris, New Democratic Party defence critic, said at a news conference by committee members. The MPs also recommended the Arctic Council should be strengthened, the government should re-establish the office of Arctic ambassador, create a cabinet committee on Arctic affairs and give priority to resolving a dispute over the Beaufort Sea with the United States. The report generally supported the broad direction of government policy but chair Maxime Bernier said the recommendations aim to ensure Canada has the right tools. While the committee concluded the Canadian Forces are equipped to defend the region, it was concerned the building of Arctic patrol ships and the icebreaker John G. Diefenbaker are falling significantly behind schedule. The committee recommended the government make development and long-term maintenance of viable Indigenous communities a priority and ensure that the Inuit be included in Northern environment scientific projects. "It is especially important that Canada's Indigenous peoples be an integral part of any decision making process affecting policies regarding the Arctic," the report said. "In line with this, we believe it important that outstanding land claims in the region be settled quickly."

Arctic Council needs larger policy role: Norwegian diplomat

Amanda Graham — Mon, 10 May 2010 03:27:15 GMT

(Jane George/Nunatsiaq News via Canada.com, 6 May 2010) -- MONTREAL - The Arctic Council wants to play a greater role in developing joint international policies for its eight member nations, said Else Berit Eikeland, Norway's ambassador to Canada. Since 1996, the Arctic Council — which includes Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Russia and the United States — has served mainly as a high-level forum to advance circumpolar co-operation, to protect the Arctic environment, and to promote the economic, social and cultural health of its members. But discussions are now underway to strengthen the role of the Arctic Council and give the forum a much stronger role in international policy making, Eikeland said Wednesday at a polar shipping conference in Montreal. "We want discussion in the Arctic Council, and we want it to open up," she said. Eikeland hinted that the Arctic Council — which plans to meet next month in Greenland to discuss Arctic oil drilling — may get a permanent secretariat and permanent funding instead of relying on money handed out sporadically by its members. The chair of the council rotates between the countries, and Canada is slated to chair the organization from 2013 to 2014. "Pragmatic" and "practical" co-operation will continue to be the guiding principle for Arctic states, Eikeland said, pointing to a recent agreement between Norway and Russia that resolves a long-standing boundary dispute in the Arctic Ocean. This deal paves the way for the 2013 recognition of Arctic Ocean boundaries under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

New Arctic needs new rules: WWF

Amanda Graham — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 02:16:34 GMT

(WWF press release, 26 April 2010) -- Copenhagen, Denmark - A new, warmer Arctic cannot continue to operate under rules that assume it is ice-covered and essentially closed to fishing, resource exploration and development and shipping, WWF said today as it launched a group of reports on protecting a newly accessible, highly vulnerable environment with profound significance for global climate, the global economy and global security. The International Governance and Regulation of the Marine Arctic reports [link to all three in one document] were launched as Russian president Medvedev visits Norwegian capital Oslo for talks which include arctic issues and just before the Arctic Council meets in Greenland. “The melting of the arctic ice is opening a new ocean, bringing new possibilities for commercial activities in a part of the world that has previously been inaccessible,” said Lasse Gustavsson, incoming Executive Conservation Director for WWF-International and currently CEO of WWF-Sweden. “What happens in the Arctic has a global environmental and economic impact. For instance, more than a quarter of the fish eaten in Europe comes from the Arctic, and yet we do not have effective rules for fishing in newly accessible areas.” ... The first report analyzes how today’s international legal regime meets the challenges posed by the unprecedented rapid change taking place in the Arctic. It concludes there are large gaps in governance and management regimes, with loopholes that could allow irreparable damage to the marine environment, its biodiversity and Indigenous peoples. The responsibilities and mechanisms for keeping marine resource extraction within sustainable limits are unclear and so are the responsibilities and mechanisms for preventing or responding to pollution accidents and shipping disasters. While the second report outlines the options, the third report proposes a new arctic framework convention as a solution that could address the urgent gaps. “We challenge arctic governments to advance alternatives that would work equally well to safeguard the region,” said Gustavsson. “WWF shows that it is not possible to simply deny that problems exist, or to insist that there are already adequate responses to the problems.”

Svalbard Treaty is 90 years old

Amanda Graham — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:42:37 GMT

(Birger Amundsen/Svalbardposten, 9 February 2010) -- Today, 90 years ago the Svalbard Treaty was signed in Paris. ... Svalbard Treaty was signed on 14 February 1920 and came into force, was ratified, 14 August 1925.

First Nation governance conference opens in Whitehorse

Amanda Graham — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:07:57 GMT

(Indian and Northern Affairs Canada press release, 9 February 2010) -- The Government of Yukon and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) are co-hosting the First Nation Governance: Building on Experience conference February 9 to 11, 2010 in Whitehorse. The conference will bring together First Nation, Yukon and federal government representatives to share knowledge, build partnerships and strengthen working relationships. ... The three-day conference is an opportunity for Yukon and northern BC First Nations, federal and territorial government officials to work together and learn from each others' experiences in capacity development. Yukon First Nations, along with the Daylu Dena Council, Dease River First Nation and the Taku River Tlingit First Nation of British Columbia were invited to send employees responsible for governance, administration and training. This year the invitation was extended to youth representatives as well. The conference is funded through the Government of Yukon, the Northern Strategy Trust Fund and INAC's Professional and Institutional Development Program. This year's event builds on the success of Capacity Conference: Moving Forward that was held in February 2009.

Yukon First Nation passes own Family Act

Amanda Graham — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:26:09 GMT

(CBC News, 2 February 2010) -- The Carcross Tagish First Nation in Carcross, Yukon, has recently passed its own Family Act, as it plans to take over child welfare services from the territorial government. While the Yukon government currently retains final legal responsibility for aboriginal children in care in Carcross, that power will eventually be transferred to the First Nation. Carcross Tagish spokesperson Nina Bolton said the First Nation wants to keep its children in the community, as well as keep families together using a traditional model. "It's something that's been talked about for years, with concerns about how our families and children were treated," Bolton told CBC News on Monday. "Things had to change … we should be looking at going back to how things used to be handled, and taking things into hands ourselves." Bolton said child welfare regulations and procedures are being finalized, while the First Nation is in talks with the territorial and federal governments over details of the transition, such as financial transfers. In the meantime, First Nations staff are being trained and officials plan to create safe houses within the community.

Looking for a few good lawyers

Amanda Graham — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:52:35 GMT

(Jørgen Chemnitz/Sermitsiaq, 30 December 2009) -- When Thomas Trier assumes his new position as judge and head of the Court of Greenland tomorrow, he will be the first to head the legal body established as part of the increasing autonomy granted the country this summer as part of the Self-Rule Act. The court will have 40 employees, including another judge and four legal aides. But Trier has expressed his disappointment over the lack of qualified Greenlandic candidates for the aide positions. “It’s due to the fact that there aren’t a lot of Greenlandic lawyers,” he said. “This is an important social institution, and lawyers themselves, as well as the administration, need to encourage people to study law.” He suggested expanding the legal studies programme at the University of Greenland. Currently law students must take at least some of their courses in Denmark. “Something needs to happen,” Trier said. “The need is enormous, and we need to remember that the judiciary is the third pillar of the separation of powers.” Taking over responsibility for the judiciary is hoped to lead to an increased professionalism amongst the country’s legal professionals. All judges and public defenders are to be hired full-time, and will receive additional training. ... In addition to personnel issues, one of the basic issues facing the new court is office space, especially for circuit courts. “The courthouse in Qaqortoq is too small to house two judges, so it’s a real logistical challenge, and I don’t think a new structure will be in place until 2012. We need to build, we need to procure funds, and there are personnel that need to relocate – as well as those who can’t relocate. We need to cover all our bases.” As the new court finds its feet in the coming weeks, circuit court judges will also be preparing for qualifying exams. “The exams are in March, and hopefully they will nominated by June. Then they need to be approved, so I hope we can have them in place by July. At that point the circuit courts should be operating full-time."

Web resource: The Arctic Governance Project

Amanda Graham — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 05:29:15 GMT

Welcome to the Arctic Governance Project. This is a dynamic website providing several opportunities for visitors to offer insights and opinions on Arctic Governance. The Project invites all interested parties to contribute to the dialogue through the website.Climate change – coupled with globalization—has triggered a rapidly accelerating cascade of events leading to profound environmental and socioeconomic changes in the Arctic—both on land and at sea. In response, demand is growing for science-based innovation in the conservation, management and governance of Arctic resources. This demand, in turn, has generated an outpouring of new ways of thinking about governance in the Arctic—resulting in a range of concrete proposals and policy alternatives for sustaining arctic communities, ecosystems and biodiversity.The project draws on the insights from traditional ecological knowledge and cutting edge scientific knowledge.The Project has assembled an array of global perpectives and proposals on governance solutions in its Arctic Governance Compendium. The Project's leadership and a diverse cross-section of researchers and stakeholders will subject these proposals to careful scrutiny at the the Tromsø Summit in January 2010.