A Canadian delegation of two Members of Parliament, Mr. Larry Bagnell and Mr. Larry Maguire, attended the meeting of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (the Standing Committee or SCPAR)[1] held in Reykjavik, Iceland, from 11 to 13 October 2017. Mr. Larry Bagnell was elected Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee in March 2016. Accompanying the delegation was Mr. Thai Nguyen, from the Parliamentary Information and Research Service of the Library of Parliament as adviser to the delegation.

Arctic parliamentary cooperation is facilitated by the Standing Committee between biennial meetings of the Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (CPAR)[2]. CPAR and the Standing Committee act as a parliamentary forum for issues relevant to the work of the Arctic Council. It comprises delegations from the eight Arctic states (Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, the United States) and the European Parliament. CPAR and SCPAR also include Permanent Participants representing indigenous peoples, as well as observers.

VISIT OF THE SVARTSENGI RESOURCE PARK

On 12 October 2017, SCPAR members had the opportunity to visit a geothermal power plant at the Svartsengi Resource Park.[3] This power plant, built in 1978 and partly owned by the Canadian company Alterra Power Corporation, is the first geothermal power plant in the world to combine generation of electricity and production of hot water for district heating. Waste heat from the plant is used for various purposes at the Blue Lagoon spa facilities located nearby.

Ásgeir Margeirsson, CEO of HS Orka managing the Svartsengi plants, told the Standing Committee that, per capita, Iceland is the world’s top producer of geothermal heating capacity and now shares its expertise in the field with booming economies, such as China. The Svartsengi Resource Park, which includes two geothermal power plants, is an industrial cluster centred on the geothermal power plants. The Park operates under the motto “Society without waste” and all resources that flow in and out of the Park must be used to the fullest extent possible. The goal is that there is no such thing as waste, only valuable resources that can be used in a wide range of production.

The main products and operations of the Resource Park companies include: hotel operation, fish drying, production of goods made from fish, farming warm-water flat fish, health-related tourism, natural treatments for skin disorders, algae farming, eco-friendly cosmetics with active substances from the area, and methanol from geothermal gas.

Ásgeir Margeirsson mentioned that the transition from the use of oil to geothermal energy in Iceland since the 1970s has improved the quality of life for its citizens. Iceland now exports flowers grown in greenhouses heated by geothermal energy. The use of geothermal heating has made possible the widespread use of swimming pools and soccer stadiums by Icelanders. Mr. Margeirsson surmised that the recent qualification of Iceland to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia is the result of the rise in popularity of soccer in the country made possible by the year-round access to stadiums economically heated by geothermal energy.

CLIMATE CHANGE IN ICELAND

Mr. Þorsteinn Þorsteinsson, glaciologist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, presented to SCPAR members the state of climate change in Iceland. According to Mr. Þorsteinsson, 2016 was the warmest year on record in Iceland and the country has experienced rapid warming since 1995.

Climate change effects include rapidly receding glaciers (loss of 12% of the total volume or 25 km3 from 1995 to 2014) and rise of sea level (3 mm per year). Infrastructure was impacted as receding glaciers caused rivers to shift course. However, climate change also brought some positive effects: runoff from glaciers resulted in increased hydropower capacity, for example.

SUMMARY OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING

A.  COMMUNICATIONS WORKING GROUP

The Communications Working Group (CWG) was created at the May 2017 meeting in Greenland and was tasked with generating proposals to raise the visibility and effectiveness of SCPAR/CPAR. Ms. Aaja Larsen (MP Greenland), Mr. Ari Trausti (MP Iceland), Mr. Samu Paukkunen (Secretary-General of SCPAR and adviser to Finland’s delegation), and Mr. Thai Nguyen (adviser to the Canadian delegation) are members of the working group.

During the summer of 2017, CWG drafted communications and social media strategy proposals to be considered by SCPAR members during this meeting in Iceland. Ms. Aaja Larsen and Mr. Ari Trausti presented those proposals to members. The proposals include a survey of prevalent social media channels in each Member State, the use of Facebook and Twitter, and publication in local media of reports on the Arctic tabled in each Member Parliament.

Mr. Larry Maguire pointed out that a report on activities of the Canadian delegation during each mission is tabled in the House of Commons and is available on Parliament’s website. However, there is little publicity about those reports.

Mr. Larry Bagnell noted that if SCPAR issues news releases about its work, statements will need to provide details about decisions taken by SCPAR and should not be limited to generalities.

Mr. Eirik Sivertsen, Chair of SCPAR, mentioned that information provided in reports tabled by each delegation to their respective Parliament could be reused for SCPAR news releases.

The Committee agreed by consensus for a Facebook page and a Twitter account with the #arcticmatters hashtag to be created and managed by the Secretariat as a pilot project for one year. Members also decided to establish “Communications strategy” as a permanent item in the agenda for subsequent meetings.

B.  ANNIVERSARY PUBLICATION: 25 YEARS OF ARCTIC PARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION (1993-2018) BOOKLET

As 2018 marks the 25th anniversary of SCPAR/CPAR, members stressed the need for SCPAR/CPAR, as the voice of Arctic parliamentarians, to raise its visibility among policy-makers, non-governmental organizations and scientists in international forums. Members agreed to raise its profile by publicizing its history, accomplishments to date and issues that the Standing Committee is studying by publishing an anniversary booklet.

The booklet will include contributions from each member country and will be published in English and Russian. Mr. Clifford Lincoln (former Chair of SCPAR from 2000-2004 and former MP for Lac-Saint-Louis) was proposed as the Canadian contributor.

C.  UNITED NATIONS TRAINING PROGRAM ON THE RIGHTS AND CULTURE OF ARCTIC INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

Mr. Ari Trausti (MP Iceland) presented to the Standing Committee a letter he sent to the Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iceland in 2014. The letter proposed to the UN that:

a training program be established in a relevant Arctic country concerning the rights, experience, knowledge and culture of the different Arctic indigenous people. The program is mainly aimed at the non-indigenous population of both Arctic countries and countries outside of the Arctic.

Mr. Ari Trausti noted that three UN training programs already operate in Iceland (geothermal energy, soil conservation sciences and fisheries) and have proved their very important role in education and experience sharing.[4] He indicated that the proposed program on the rights and culture of Arctic indigenous peoples would have the purpose to “educate academics and non-academic people and disseminate knowledge about the various indigenous societies and their interaction with the environment, through courses and field experience.”

Mr. Larry Bagnell pointed out that Canada has created the Arctic Institute of North America, currently hosted by the University of Calgary, through an Act of Parliament in 1945. The Institute is a non-State observer at the Arctic Council and conducts studies of the Arctic through natural and social sciences, arts and humanities. The Institute also partners with northern and Indigenous organisations and offer programs on Indigenous knowledge and culture. Mr. Larry Bagnell emphasized the enormity of the task in establishing the proposed UN training program, in that Canada has over 600 First Nations with many different cultures and languages.

Mr. Georgy Karlov (MP Russia) agreed with Mr. Larry Bagnell and added that Russia has established a university network in the Russian Arctic. He noted that the Russian Federation includes over 40 legally recognized Indigenous small-numbered peoples in the North, Siberia, and the Far East.

US Senator Lisa Murkowski suggested that the Arctic Council may be better placed to establish such a training program on Indigenous rights and culture.

The Standing Committee agreed with the proposal from the Chair to ask the Arctic Council’s Indigenous Permanent Participants for their input in this matter and to seek support from the University of the Arctic.[5]

D.  USE OF HEAVY FUEL OIL IN ARCTIC SHIPPING

Recalling Recommendation 3 of the 12th CPAR Statement adopted in 2016 in Ulan-Ude, Russia, Mr. Larry Bagnell inquired about efforts made by member States towards implementing the recommendation. Recommendation 3 reads:

Continue the work in the International Maritime Organization with guidelines regarding the use of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic, and continue to support the development of renewable energy suitable for the Arctic to drastically reduce black carbon emissions.[6]

Mr. Ari Trausti (MP Iceland) indicated that Iceland intends to ratify Annex IV and Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).[7] Annex IV covers the prevention of pollution by sewage from ships and Annex VI pertains to the prevention of air pollution from ships. According to Mr. Ari Trausti, Iceland is also planning to electrify its harbours and to require, by regulations, the docking of ships using electricity instead of oil.

It should be noted that although Canada has ratified MARPOL, its ratification specifically excludes the Arctic north of 60°N latitude.[8] Pollution prevention in Canadian Arctic waters is governed by Canada’s Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act (AWPPA), which does not deal with pollution of the air from ships, and the Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships and for Dangerous Chemicals Division 6, under the Canada Shipping Act (CSA) 2001 which deals with air pollution from ships.

Mr. Samu Paukkunen (Secretary-General of SCPAR) added that the European Union has been developing a Strategy for liquefied natural gas (LNG) calling for an increased use of LNG as an alternative fuel in transport to reduce current environmental impacts of heavy fuel oil.[9]

E.  UPDATES BY MEMBERS

Mr. Larry Bagnell and Mr. Larry Maguire updated SCPAR members on Arctic-related activities in Canada since the last SCPAR meeting in Greenland, in May 2017.

1.  New National Marine Conservation Area in the Canadian Arctic

Mr. Larry Bagnell informed members that, in August 2017, the Canadian government, the government of Nunavut and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association[10] announced an agreement to create a new national marine conservation area in the Canadian Arctic.[11] The Tallurutiup Imanga/Lancaster Sound conservation area, the biggest protected area ever established in Canada, is located on the eastern approach to the Northwest Passage and will cover more than 109,000 km2 (slightly larger than Iceland). It will protect major feeding and breeding habitats for polar bears, walruses, bearded seals and bowhead whales.

Inuit traditional knowledge will inform future decision making for the management of the conservation area and Inuit harvesting rights are guaranteed under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. The respect for the rights of local Indigenous peoples’ sustainable harvest of living marine resources reflects Recommendation 18 of the 2016 Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region in Ulan-Ude, Russia.[12] Once it is officially designated, this new conservation area will be permanently off limits for any exploration for and exploitation of hydrocarbons, minerals, aggregates, and any other inorganic matter.

The Tallurutiup Imanga/Lancaster Sound conservation area is a step towards meeting Canada’s target of protecting 5 percent of its marine and coastal areas by 2017 and 10 percent by 2020. Once completed, it will add about 2 per cent towards these targets. The conservation area would also contribute to the pan-Arctic network of Marine Protected Areas initiated by the Arctic Council.[13]

2.  New Road Access Improvements to Help Grow Yukon’s Natural Resources Sector

Mr. Larry Bagnell indicated to the Standing Committee that the federal and Yukon’s governments announced over $247 million in funding to improve road access in two mineral-rich areas: the Dawson Range in central Yukon and the Nahanni Range Road in southeastern Yukon. The funding will help upgrade over 650 km of road in the territory.

3.  Investment in Arctic Waters Protection

Mr. Larry Maguire mentioned that, on 27 August 2017, the federal government announced a total investment of $175 million to protect Arctic waters as part of its $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan.[14] The $175 million will be divided into five different areas with the bulk of the money, $94.3 million over five years, focused on making Arctic resupply operations safer and more efficient.

4.  Contribution of Inuit Art to the Canadian Economy

Mr. Larry Maguire also shared with colleagues findings of the report Impact of the Inuit Arts Economy, commissioned by the federal government. The report revealed that, in 2015, the Inuit art economy contributed $87.2 million to Canada’s GDP. Visual arts, particularly carvings and crafts, have long been a way to generate personal income and to work flexible hours, something important to the lifestyle of Inuit subsistence hunters.

Arts and crafts sustain 2,700 full-time jobs and an estimated 13,650 Inuit artists are involved in arts and crafts production in Canada. These numbers indicate that 26 percent of the Inuit population aged 15 years and older is engaged in the production of visual arts and crafts.

The report also found that men tend to produce carvings and jewellery, more profitable art forms that dominate the traditional retail and wholesale markets, whereas women tend to produce more sewn goods and textiles that are prevalent in the direct-to-consumer trade, particularly in fast-growing, online sales. [15]

F.  FUTURE MEETINGS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE

The next meeting of the Standing Committee is scheduled for 23 and 24 November 2017 in Helsinki, Finland. The European Parliament (in Brussels) and Sweden will host SCPAR’s Spring meetings in February/March and May/June 2018.

The next biennial Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region will take place in Inari (northern Finland) from 16 to 19 September 2018.

ARCTIC CIRCLE ANNUAL ASSEMBLY

On 13 October 2017, members of the Canadian delegation attended the 5th Arctic Circle Annual Assembly.[16] The Arctic Circle is an organization created by Iceland on 15 April 2013. Its mission is to facilitate dialogue among political and business leaders, environmental experts, scientists, indigenous representatives and other international stakeholders to address issues facing the Arctic. Over 2,000 people from about 50 countries attended the 5th Annual Assembly in Reykjavik.

The plenary session’s speakers included:

• H.E. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, Chairman Arctic Circle and former President of Iceland;
• Bjarni Benediktsson, Prime Minister of Iceland;
• H.E. Guðni Jóhannesson, President of Iceland;
• Bob McLeod, Premier of the Northwest Territories, Canada;
• Lin Shanqing, State Oceanic Administration, China;
• Vladimir Barbin, Ambassador for Arctic Affairs, Russian Federation
• Ségolène Royal, Ambassador for the Arctic and Antarctic Poles and former Minister of Climate and Environment, France;
• Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland;
• Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); and
• Adnan Amin, Director-General, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

Members of the Canadian delegation also participated in the Arctic Parliamentary Networking Lunch at the invitation of the West Nordic Council.

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