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PM appoints Canada's Chair of the Arctic Council
In this new capacity, Minister Aglukkaq will be responsible for developing and delivering the Arctic Council programme that will be undertaken during Canada’s chairmanship of the organization from 2013 to 2015. As part of her role as Chair of the Arctic Council, Minister Aglukkaq will be working with territorial governments, Canadian indigenous permanent participants and other Arctic states to develop the Arctic Council programme. Minister Aglukkaq will begin leading this work immediately.
“The North is an integral part of our heritage and holds tremendous promise for our country’s future. I therefore welcome Canada’s upcoming chairmanship of the Arctic Council where countries will be working together to advance their respective northern interests,” said Prime Minister Harper. “I am delighted that Leona, who has such a deep understanding of Canada’s North and its peoples, has accepted to act as Canada’s Chair of the Arctic Council. It is my intention to also have Minister Aglukkaq appointed as Minister for the Arctic Council.”
Under Canadian leadership, the Arctic Council was established in 1996 with the signing of the Ottawa Declaration by the eight Arctic states. Canada’s participation in the Arctic Council supports several objectives in the Government of Canada’s Northern Strategy, including exercising Arctic sovereignty, promoting environmental heritage; social and economic development; and improving and devolving Northern governance.
This document is also available in Inuktitut at
http://pm.gc.ca/grfx/docs/20120823_NR2_Inuktitut.pdf
