Mr. Speaker, On May 5, ahead of the Northern Premier’s Forum, Premier Ranj Pillai, Premier R.J. Simpson, and I met with three federal ministers in Iqaluit. The meetings with Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly, Minister of National Defence Bill Blair, and Minister of Northern Affairs Dan Vandal, as well as Parliamentary Secretary Yvonne Jones, were an opportunity to jointly discuss the needs of the North.
Minister Blair briefed us on the Our North, Strong and Free: A Renewed Vision for Canada’s Defence, while Minister Joly updated us on the International Arctic strategy the Government of Canada is developing.
Mr. Speaker, considering the political turmoil in the circumpolar world and the rapidly melting of sea ice which is opening the Northwest Passage, Canada’s Arctic communities are central to our country’s future hopes of peace and prosperity.
As Northern premiers we appreciated the federal ministers’ visit to the North and their focus on Arctic issues. We know that any decisions about the North must be made in partnership with the people for whom the North is home.
Mr. Speaker, once again, as the three Northern premiers, we asserted our commitment to collaborating with the Federal Government and emphasized the need for investing in multi-use infrastructure that will strengthen communities while addressing Canada’s sovereignty and security.
We also emphasized the need for ongoing engagements with Indigenous governments and organizations in all three territories.
Finally, we called for federal investment in areas such as housing, telecommunication, clean energy, and transportation to ensure the well-being, resilience, and prosperity of northern communities and residents.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.