Report

A Canada delegation attended the 14^th Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (CPAR)[1] and the meeting of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (the Standing Committee)[2], virtually hosted by Stortinget, the Norwegian Parliament, from 13 to 14 April 2021.

The Canadian delegation comprised:

• The Honourable Larry Bagnell, P.C., M.P. (Head of Delegation, Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee);
• Mr. Larry Maguire, M.P.;
• The Honourable Patricia Bovey, Senator;
• Mr. Stéphane Bergeron, M.P.;
• Ms. Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, M.P.;
• Ms. Yvonne Jones, M.P.

The delegation also included Ms. Sara Fryer and Mr. Thai Nguyen, from the Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament, as advisors, and Mr. Matthieu Boulianne, Association Secretary.

The biennial CPAR and the Standing Committee[3] act as a parliamentary forum for issues relevant to the work of the Arctic Council.[4] The forum is made up of delegations from the eight Arctic states (Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, the United States) and the European Parliament. CPAR and the Standing Committee also include Permanent Participants representing Indigenous peoples, as well, as observers.

MEETING SUMMARY

The conference featured speakers from different Arctic nations grouped according to five themes. For the first time, the CPAR was available to be streamed online[5]. The CPAR opened with addresses from Ms. Tone Wilhelmsen Trøen, President, Norwegian Parliament, and Ms. Aili Keskitalo, President, Sami Parliament of Norway. Of note, Norway will soon release a new Northern Strategy and highlighted that youth are engaged in its development.

The following is a summary of the conference, organized by conference theme.

A. 13 APRIL 2021 – Country Reports

• Mr. Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Iceland, provided highlights of the Icelandic Chairmanship of the Arctic Council, which is concluding in the spring of 2021. He observed that the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the resiliency of Arctic inhabitants and provided the Arctic Council with an unexpected opportunity to develop its work and collaboration. He also noted the priorities of the Arctic Council’s work over the course of Iceland’s leadership, which included: Arctic marine cooperation, climate and green energy solutions for Arctic nations.
• Mr. Eirik Sivertsen, Chair of the Standing Committee, highlighted the work of the Committee during his term.
• CPAR delegates heard from Ms. Aurora S. Møllersen, Norway regarding the Norwegian youth panel’s report to the Norwegian Parliament related to youth priorities for the forthcoming Northern Strategy. Priorities she raised included education, transportation networks, climate change and balancing the needs to protect Sami culture when considering economic development initiatives.
• Mr. Larry Bagnell highlighted the fact that Canada is developing a rural transportation strategy and asked about Norwegian youth’s recommendations regarding Arctic transportation. Ms. Møllersen noted that affordability is critical for youth.

B. The Impact of COVID-19 in the Arctic

• CPAR delegates heard about the economic and social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Alaska, United States of America (USA) from Senator Lisa Murkowski, USA, and in Greenland, from Ms. Aaja Chemnitz Larsen, M.P., Denmark/Greenland. International public health cooperation was highlighted by Dr. Eydis Kristin Sveinbjarnardottir, Arctic Council.
• Ms. Yvonne Jones, M.P. remarked on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Labrador and Arctic Canada, highlighting the challenges faced by remote communities such as overcrowded housing, food insecurity, lack of medical resources and gaps in broadband connectivity.
• Senator Patricia Bovey of Manitoba acknowledged the importance of artists and encouraged delegates to support artists who have sustained societies during the pandemic.

C. The Arctic in 2050

• The first day of the conference concluded with reflections from panelists on the future of the Arctic in 2050. Remarks were made by Ms. Ine Eriksen Søreide, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Norway; Ms. Maria Grånemo, Barents Regional Youth Council, Sweden; Ms. Niina Pietikäinen, Harriniva Hotels and Safaris, Finland; and Ms. Erin Linklater, Gwich’in Council International, Canada.

D. 14 April 2021 – Arctic Climate Change

• The second day of the CPAR featured a panel on climate change in the Arctic. Mr. Rasmus Benestad, Norwegian Meteorological Institute, and Mr. Andreas Schwab, Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Northern cooperation, relations with Switzerland, Norway, to the EU-Iceland Joint Parliamentary Committee and the European Economic Area (EEA) Joint Parliamentary Committee both offered remarks on scientific evidence and priorities for action, respectively.
• Mr. Sivertsen, Chair of the Standing Committee, provided an overview of the regional differences throughout the Arctic with respect to climate change. He emphasized that existing infrastructure must be adapted to climate change and highlighted the importance of cooperation among Arctic states. A notable example of cooperation he raised was the International Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean (2018), whereby signatory countries agreed to cooperate to better understand the Arctic’s ecosystem and to prevent commercial fishing until such time as there is adequate scientific information to inform fisheries management. He called for the establishment of a new International Polar Year to draw attention to the priorities of Arctic nations.
• The Russian Federation observed that the thawing of permafrost and ice cover is affecting many regions. The delegation noted that Russia will host a conference related to permafrost in 2023 and looks forward to assuming Chair of the Arctic Council in spring 2021.
• Mr. Larry Maguire, M.P. observed that Arctic nations understand the problem of climate change but require political will to solve it. He raised the matter of carbon capture and storage as an emerging innovation.

E. Sustainable Arctic Business

• Mr. Mads Qvist Frederiksen, Arctic Economic Council, provided an update on the status of economic activities in the Arctic. He highlighted the Arctic Investment Protocol[6] (2015) as a means by which to balance the Arctic’s environment sensitivity with industrial development. He highlighted tourism and fisheries as important economic activities in the Arctic and that rare earth minerals that are present in the Arctic have the potential to drive innovation in green technology.
• Senator Yury Vazhenin, Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, gave a presentation about Russian Arctic business development. He noted that the Russian Federation has invested heavily in the Northern Sea Route and raised the idea of an environmental standard for the Arctic at the international level that could become an example of cooperation.
• Dr. Olav Lanes, ArcticZymes Technologies, Norway, and Ms. Inger Anita Smuk, Sámi reindeer herder, Varjnárga Mobile Slaughterhouse and Processing, Varanger, Norway, discussed their respective businesses.
• Mr. Stéphane Bergeron, M.P., discussed economic development in northern Quebec, highlighting initiatives led by Inuit in Nunavik; he asked about the effectiveness of the Arctic Economic Council’s Arctic Investment Protocol; and noted that Quebec could make greater diplomatic efforts and foster connections with Nordic countries to increase its international trade with the region.

F. Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region 2022, NUUK, Greenland/Denmark

• M.P. Aaja Chemnitz Larsen, Parliament of the Kingdom of Denmark, highlighted that the next CPAR will be held in Nuuk, Greenland/Denmark.

G. Conference Statement

• At the conclusion of the CPAR, delegates adopted a Conference Statement[7].

Respectfully submitted,


Mr. Scott Simms, M.P.
Chair Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association