A strong North benefits all Canada

Page 3

The voice of Canada's first lady of the Arctic speeds across 3,200 kilometres of telephone cable as she begins an interview with Windspeaker from her home in Ottawa. Her manner is easy, her approach sure and confidence as she discusses her appointment as the first Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs.

For more than a month now, Mary Simon has been setting up an Arctic shop under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She has been brief in all the areas her ambassadoral fingers are expected to touch and ruminated over the mandate of the position.

Simon knows well the needs of the North, the commitment of the federal government to the region, but when asked why the rest of Canada should care about her new position, she hesitates and sighs. Southern apathy has often been a stumbling block to improving the quality of life in the North.

All Canadians have vested interest in a strong and healthy North, said Simon. While southerners many not benefit directly from having a circumpolar ambassador, Simon believes Canada's economic position will improve as northerners take greater control over their lives.

As an example, she cites deficit reduction.

"Inuit are taxpayers like other Canadians," Simon said. As the northern economy improves, the people will be better able to contribute and help reduce costs for the rest of the country, she said.

Ottawa's creation of this new position is recognition that the North is now a bigger part of the national agenda than it's ever been before, said Simon. Her job will be to represent the government of Canada in the circumpolar region in its dealings with the other Arctic states of Russia, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark and the United States.

A priority of the federal government is the creation of an Arctic Council, added Simon. The council will represent a multilateral process which will deal effectively with the issues that affect the circumpolar region.

One such issue is trans-boundary pollution, which is becoming a serious problem for the people who rely on the natural food sources of the Arctic, she said. Toxins and contaminants like PCBs come to Canada's northern shores from Eastern Europe and can be found in the food chain. It is hoped a body made up of representatives of the region will find ways to deal with Arctic problems through negotiation and co-operation.

While Simon has always been a strong advocate for the Arctic environment, her duties as ambassador will go well beyond this scope She will be required to help initiate changes in the Arctic policy of Canada, policy that has to this point in time been absent to a large extent, she said.

Policy governing such things as renewable resources and economic development has to be clearly defined and put into place in the region if improvements are to be seen in the social conditions in the North, Simon insists. More than that, the people of the North must have a say.