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Environment, sovereignty main northern foreign policy concerns: report

Arctic Council best forum for addressing these concerns, new evaluation says

JANE GEORGE

A review of Canada's northern foreign policy calls for a stronger role for the circumpolar ambassador, Jack Anawak, and more Canadian involvement in the Arctic Council, (PHOTO BY JANE GEORGE)

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The two foreign policy issues of "most central concern" to northerners are the environment and sovereignty, says an evaluation prepared for the federal Inspector-General

This evaluation suggests the Arctic Council is the best place to look after these concerns and should be "the centrepiece" of Canada's foreign policy in the circumpolar world.

The evaluation also criticizes the Aboriginal and Circumpolar Affairs Division of the Foreign Affairs Department for its poor communications and "trying to do too much - and not always the right things - with too few resources, with the risk of mediocre results."

The evaluation says future spending should focus on a smaller number of larger priorities, including support for the permanent indigenous participants at the Arctic Council.

It also calls for more "Canadian leadership" in circumpolar affairs and closer partnerships with other federal departments and agencies, territorial governments and land claim groups, as well as better communications.

The Office of the Inspector General ordered this evaluation, called "Strengthening Canada's Leadership and Influence in the Circumpolar World."

The 50-page document concludes that overall, Canada does need a specific northern foreign policy, but it needs more leadership, more direction and a tighter focus.

The evaluation comes five years after the so-called "Northern Dimension" of Canada's foreign policy was announced in June 2000, based on interviews with about 100 people done by consultants from the Global Issues Bureau .

During its first five years, Canada's northern foreign policy supported activities in five key areas: the Arctic Council, the University of the Arctic, Russia, trade and northern cooperation.

Evaluators say there has been "significant progress" with respect to the Arctic Council, but less progress in any of the other priority areas.

The Arctic Council was founded in 1996 as a high-level forum to advance circumpolar cooperation, to protect the Arctic environment and to promote the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of its members: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Russia and the United states.

"The Arctic Council is maturing into a sound, effective multilateral body addressing key issues of mutual concern in the circumpolar region, including issues related to the environment and sovereignty," says the evaluation.

It suggests Canada needs more "firmer policy direction, stronger diplomatic efforts and an enhanced role for the Ambassador of Circumpolar Affairs," a post now held by Jack Anawak.

The evaluation has harsher words for other activities, and finds "little evidence" that work supported by Foreign Affairs in Russia has been successful.

Contacts between organizations in Canada and Russia that have been successful can continue without any more money, it says, while other attempts at cooperation or trade are still foundering despite funding: "Russia is a complex, difficult environment."

The evaluation suggests Foreign Affairs should spend money on the Arctic Council, where Canada works with Russia on common circumpolar issues.

From 2000 to 2005, Foreign Affairs spent $2 million a year on its circumpolar activities. Of this $750,000 went to the Arctic Council, $250,000 to the UArctic, $300,000 for cooperation with Russia, $200,000 for economic development and trade, $300,000 for circumpolar cooperation and $200,000 for policy support and communications.

While UArctic has made progress, the evaluators find the fledgling university shows "little indication of breaking its dependency" on Foreign Affairs money.

The evaluation says that five years after its establishment, UArctic has yet to raise "significant funding" from individuals or the private sector, despite a high-profile board of directors.

Northerners interviewed for the evaluation also questioned the relevancy of a circumpolar university: for them, high school education and job training programs are more important.

Many also pointed out the limited appeal of on-line course delivery. Several "key" informants for the evaluation didn't know about UArctic or hadn't seen evidence of its activities.

With respect to increasing trade and economic links, the evaluation can't see many tangible impacts, either. A program to produce a "Sustainable Model for Arctic Regional Tourism" produced few results, although money spent on the Nunavut Youth Abroad program was seen to show some results, by encouraging an interest in higher education.

Other government departments should take the lead in these areas, says the evaluation.

The evaluation also notes some sloppy management habits within the Aboriginal and Circumpolar Affairs division, including incomplete file and project proposals, and insufficient follow-up.

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