Canada and the Arctic Council : Report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development

Canada has been a leader in multilateral cooperation in the Arctic region for over two decades. Soon after the end of the cold war, it argued that there was a need for a council that would unite the eight Arctic states and a number of indigenous peoples' organizations to deal with common challenges, notably those related to the protection of the fragile Arctic environment. The Arctic Council was established from these discussions in 1996, and Canada served as its first chair. Following a full rotation among all member states, Canada will chair the council for the second time for a two-year term beginning in May 2013. ... In anticipation of this important opportunity for Canadian regional leadership, the Committee conducted a study of Canada's Arctic foreign policy, receiving testimony from over 40 witnesses, including federal departmental and territorial officials, academics, scientists and businesspeople. The present report summarizes the key findings from the Committee's meetings in order to provide parliamentary input to Canada's Arctic Council agenda and to identify what the Committee believes are the most pressing challenges facing Arctic states.