Towards a Canadian Arctic International Strategy

1
Towards a Canadian Arctic International Strategy

• John J. Noble

2
Reflections on Past

• First Met Franklyn Griffiths when he was Joe
  Clarks Arctic Advisor in DFAIT in mid 1980s.
• Response to 1985 Polar Sea transit
  1)proclamation of straight baselines
  2)willingness to have IJC rule on Canadas
  actions if challenged (change from AWPPA)
• 3) Commitment to build Polar 8 icebreaker
  (worlds largest flagpole), subsequently victim
  of budget cuts along with nuclear subs.
• 4)Willingness to work with U.S. to resolve
  issue.

3
1988 Arctic Cooperation Agreement

• Resulted from tenacity of Mulroney and unscripted
  comment from Reagan in 1986 lets put
  sovereignty aside, we wont do anything up there
  without your permission.
• Took two years to work through US system,
  especially U.S. Navy.
• Agreement laid basis for Canada-US co-operation
  in Arctic waters without prejudice to respective
  legal positions.

4
1987 Agreement to Conserve Porcupine Caribou Herd

• Aboriginal representatives from CYI (now CYFNs),
  NWT Métis and Inuit were on Canadian delegation,
  fully involved in preparation of Canadian
  position, the negotiations, and they were given
  ultimate decision as to whether the negotiated
  text was acceptable or not.
• Similar procedures regarding development of
  Canadas position on drilling in ANWR.

5
Importance of Buy-In

• Gwichin and other CYFN leaders and successive
  Canadian governments have fought against drilling
  in ANWR.
• Key was to find allies in US Congress and U.S.
  lobby groups.
• One of key challenges for successful Northern
  Strategy in Canada is to get buy in from Southern
  Canadians on basis of mutual benefits stressed by
  Ed Shultz.
• Climate change is not just a northern issue.
• Harper Government has abdicated its made in
  Canada climate change policy to follow US lead.

6
Griffiths Paper

• Extremely ambitious paper and dares to go into
  areas which are not directly related to the
  Arctic.
• 3 objectives elevation (to PM level), engagement
  with U.S. and then Russia and invigoration of
  regional governance (Arctic Council).
• 31 pages with 27 recommendations.
• Many ideas need to be explored in great detail.

7
PMO/PCO/INAC/DFAIT?

• Political leadership is key but PMO is not place
  to assign development and delivery of Arctic
  policy.
• Martin Government created several new units in
  PCO with operational responsibilities (Canada-U.S
  Secretariat, etc) which were dismantled and sent
  back to their home departments by Harper
  Government.
• Creation of Secretary of State for the Arctic
  yes, but no remit to deal with security issues
  like missile defence, weaponization of space or
  ASAT.

8
Getting Russians on Board

• Agreement on Basic Principles of Arctic
  International Relations sounds like relic from
  Cold War.
• U.S. will not want to engage its global security
  interests in Arctic forum and will want to deal
  with Russians bilaterally (and vice versa)
  without Canada.
• Why mix CSCE with Arctic?

9
Enlarging the Arctic Council

• What is in it for Canada?
• Why would observer members pay into fund to
  benefit citizens of OECD countries (except
  Russia)?
• Right to stress what appears to be new interest
  by Foreign Minister Cannon in Arctic Council. Two
  Territorial Premiers and a Deputy Premier went
  with him to most recent meeting in Tromso,
  Norway.

10
Canadian International Centre for the Arctic
Region in Oslo

• Through our robust Arctic foreign policy we are
  affirming our leadership, stewardship and
  ownership in the region.
• This further demonstrates that the Government of
  Canada is committed and serious about taking a
  leadership role on Arctic issues. The Centre will
  enhance Canadas ability to promote Canadian
  interests, influence key partners and better
  understand emerging issues. (DFAIT Press release
  April 29, 2009)

11
The Arctic Vacuum in Canadas Foreign Policy

• Conference co-chair Tony Penikett and Terry Fenge
  in April 2009 Policy Options
• the northern foreign policy vacuum suggests that
  Canada is neither fully prepared or well equipped
  to influence and shape international debate on
  the future of the region.
• Focus political attention on region through a
  ministry of state for circumpolar affairs within
  DFAIT.

12
Part of the Solution

• To bring Arctic issues to the heart of foreign
  policy formation requires political interest and
  leadership in Ottawa
• Clear, ambitious and defined policy objectives
  vibrant, knowledgeable and independent advisory
  institutions relationships between federal
  agencies that enable whole of government
  approaches to policy debate and implementation.
• Important to include northern Canadians in the
  northern Canadian foreign policy.

13
Do We Need a New Arctic Treaty?

• UNCLOS provides treaty framework for dealing with
  oceans, including Arctic exemption, seabed
  extension etc. Arctic 5 pledge to respect it.
• IMO is appropriate organization to deal with
  Arctic shipping regulations and standards
  (Bancrofts presentation).
• Copenhagen and follow-on to Kyoto is appropriate
  forum for climate change.
• Other issues best resolved bilaterally.