Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
July 31, 2009Government Questions
Federal Commitment to Canada�s North
The Honourable John Hickey, Minister of Labrador
Affairs, and the Honourable Patty Pottle, Minister of
Aboriginal Affairs, responded today to the Canada
Northern Strategy: Our North, Our Heritage, Our Future
report released by the Federal Government this week. The
ministers described the strategy as little more than a
compilation of previously announced commitments and
policy directions.
�It is clear to me, after reading the report, the
Government of Canada under the leadership of Prime
Minister Stephen Harper has no strategy for Canada�s
North and is using this report for political posturing,�
said Minister Hickey. �There is nothing new in the
report; it is vague, and on top of that, I think the
Federal Government needs to take a geography lesson on
Canada�s North. The decision to leave out the
Nunatsiavut and Nunavik regions as part of the North in
their mapping shows a profound disregard for the people
living there.�
�The strategy is quick to lump Labrador in with the
North when given the opportunity to point to
accomplishments in devolving governance and
environmental protection, such as the Labrador Inuit
Land Claims Agreement and the Torngat Mountains National
Park, but makes no reference to Labrador when
referencing future commitments to the North and its
Aboriginal people,� said Minister Pottle.
While the strategy reflects the Northern sovereignty
component contained in the Canada First Defence
Strategy, there is still no commitment to use 5 Wing
Goose Bay as a strategic location in Canada�s
sovereignty over the North. The Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador continues to bring forward to
the Federal Government the province�s position that this
military facility should be fully utilized, including
the part that 5 Wing might play in the Federal
Government�s northern sovereignty initiative.
As the only Atlantic province with a northern region,
Newfoundland and Labrador is ideally positioned to be
Canada�s Northern Gateway. Besides northern sovereignty
and national defence activities, the province in an
ideal staging ground for scientific expeditions to the
North as well as environmental stewardship projects,
commercial operations, and marine traffic monitoring.
However, there is no indication in the federal northern
strategy that the Government of Canada recognizes the
province�s strategic location and natural advantages as
a gateway to the North.
Minister Hickey questioned the strategy�s claim that the
Federal Government is working with northern communities
and governments to ensure search and rescue (SAR)
operations are adequate and meeting emerging needs.
�On May 4, 2009, the Standing Committee on Fisheries and
Oceans recommended that the Federal Government consider
5 Wing Goose Bay as a staging area for the coordination
and support of Coast Guard operations and SAR,� said
Minister Hickey. �This recommendation is not reflected
in the strategy and is another glaring omission in a
disappointing document.�
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Media contact:
John Tompkins
Director of Communications
Department of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
709-729-1674, 728-7762
jtompkins@gov.nl.ca
2009 07 31
1:00 p.m.