Northern Economic and Sovereignty Infrastructure ConferenceIqaluit, Nunavut

On the Front Lines of Canada’s Northern Strategy

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Oct 14, 2010

Shannon A. Joseph, Policy Advisor

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Outline

• Setting the context• National politics and the North

• Northern municipal governments• Northern communities and national defence

• Lessons from other countries• Towards a new northern vision

Setting the Context• History of short-lived periods of interest and ad-hoc investments driven by the South

• Perceived as empty:– 100,000+ people– $7 billion in GDP– Rich social and cultural histories

• Significant resource wealth of domestic and international interest

Setting the Context

• Continual inability to bring living standards in northern communities in line with the rest of Canada

• High cost of living, limited access to higher education, gaps in basic public infrastructure, etc.

• Health indicators: Northern Canadians still face– Lower life expectancy– Increased child mortality– Higher incidence of non-communicable illness

Setting the Context

North in National Politics• Development and integration of the North are a national priority

• Multi-party support to:– Responding to aboriginal aspirations– Resolving land claims issues– Enabling economic activities in the region

• Key document for the current policy environment is the Northern Strategy

North in National Politics

• Key outcomes– Vital communities– Respect for the environment

– Cooperation between orders of government

– Enhanced Canadian presence on the land, sea and sky of the Arctic

• Approach– Maintain a strong military presence

– Enhance stewardship through regulations

– Advance the geographic and geological knowledge of the region

North in National Politics• Northern Strategy – missing elements:– Inclusion of the provincial north

– Long-term coordinated commitment between military needs and local communities

– Inclusion of a long-term clear plan for renewal of core public infrastructure

Municipalities in the North

• Meet day-to-day needs of their communities

• Provide vital support for local commercial, military and scientific endeavours

• Maintain and operate almost all basic local services and infrastructure (airfields, roads, water and sanitation, even health and housing)

Municipal Challenges

• Canada– Infrastructure deficit of $123 billion

– Limited sources of revenue• 8 cents of every tax dollar paid in Canada

• Property tax and service fees

• North– Infrastructure deficit exacerbated by climate change

– Most communities do not collect tax• Ex: 1 out of 25 municipalities has its own tax base.

• Government dependent

– Small populations– Isolation and remoteness

Northern Communities and National Defence

• WWII– Alaska HWY– Northwest Staging route airfields

• Cold War– Continental radar system (DEW-line, Pine-tree line)

– Building boom from Labrador to Yukon

Lessons from Other Countries• Alaska

– Anchorage and Fairbanks

– University of Alaska

• Australian outback– Stabilized regional economy

– High level of infrastructure

• Pacific Islands– Key infrastructure on hundreds of islands

Lessons from Other Countries• Presence of the military has an impact on life in remote regions– Underpin economic development– Improve local infrastructure– Foundation for stabilization and growth

• The most important investments allow for the flow of people, goods and information into the region

• Sustained military investment can have an economic multiplier effect leading to flow-on citizen, private sector and government commitments

The New North• Major environmental change• New resource potential (oil, gas and minerals)

• Settlement of land claims and empowerment of aboriginal communities

• Increasing international circumpolar initiatives (Inuit Circumpolar Conference)

• Remilitarization of the Arctic

A New Northern Vision• Recommendations

– Develop a long-term plan to invest in Northern infrastructure

– Make Canada’s North the world leader in climate change adaptation

– Use smart military investments as the backbone for building the New North•Make partnership official policy•Information technology – connect the region to the world (e-education, remote work, etc.)

A New Northern Vision• Other recommendations– Include the provincial North– Build northern scientific capacity

•Modeled on University of the Arctic

– Build northern intellectual and professional capacity•Create training opportunities for northerners

– Build a stronger civil society– Introduce new Canadians to the North– Promote northern region collaboration

A New Northern Vision

Northern sovereignty depends on the presence of thriving communities

Shannon A. JosephPolicy Advisor

Federation of Canadian Municipalities613-907-6265sjoseph@fcm.ca