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Thank you, Bernie [MacIsaac, Qikiqtani Inuit Association], for that kind introduction. I’m excited to take part once again at this year’s edition of the Nunavut Mining Symposium.
I am a proud Northern Canadian – proud to live in a land of great abundance. Nunavut is rich in metal and minerals and development can proceed in a climate of certainty and strong partnership with Inuit.
The resource wealth of the North has, in recent years, sparked a lot of economic activity. For several years, the North has enjoyed Canada’s fastest-growing GDP. Although the recent drop in commodity prices may slow some activities, the Conference Board of Canada reports that economic growth in the territories is expected to easily outpace most other regions in Canada.
And we see evidence of that growth here in Nunavut. Baffinland’s Mary River iron ore project just last month completed the landing strip at David Lake and the Nunavut Impact Review Board has completed the review of the early revenue phase for this project. Peregrine recently announced large numbers of high-grade diamonds in samples taken not far from here. And several proposed projects continue to move through assessment and permitting processes.
When I’m visiting communities in Nunavut, or travelling to communities in Yukon and the NWT, I hear similar messages from all regions. Northerners know mining and other extraction industries play an important role in their economic development. But they also tell me that it must be done right.
Any development must happen in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. We have lived in harmony with the land, the water and the animals for generations. We will depend on this harmony for generations to come. That’s why responsible resource development is a central part of our Government’s Economic Action Plan.
Collaboration lies at the core of responsible resource development: companies, communities, and regulators working together to ensure all Northerners benefit from development opportunities. This type of collaboration is certainly evident in Nunavut’s mining industry.
To promote a collaborative and responsible approach to resource development, our Government continues to take a number of actions. For example, the Northern Projects Management Office Inuit organizations, Aboriginal organizations and territorial governments to maximize the potential benefits associated with major resource development activities. For example, in Nunavut, MOUs with the Qikiqtani Inuit Association and the Kitikmeot Inuit Association are in place and helping to advance this important work.
Working alongside our northern partners, our new Community Readiness Initiative focuses on empowering communities to identify common goals, economic opportunities, and challenges that come from resource development projects. Through our collective efforts, communities are taking a more active role in managing the impacts and identifying opportunties from resource development. Right here in Nunavut we are working with three communities on this initiative - in Kugluktuk and Cambridge Bay in the Kitikmeot region, and Grise Fiord in Qikitani region.
The other message I hear is that development in the North must bring benefits to the people and communities of the North. We are looking for investment in local communities, and for job opportunities. We have a young and growing population. The average age in Nunavut is 25– that’s a strong potential labour pool that can benefit from this development. Our Government continues to target specific training programs to help Northerners participate in these development opportunities.
CanNor has also made strategic investments in adult basic education, infrastructure projects and geoscience research across the three territories. CanNor is also working with our partners on innovative energy and waste solution projects. These investments help Northerners make the most of the opportunities that responsible resource development brings and help industry access workers with appropriate skills and training.
In assuming the Chairmanship of the Arctic Council, Canada’s focus is on responsible Arctic resource development, safe Arctic shipping, and sustainable circumpolar communities. Our overall theme is “Development for the people of the North.” As both the Minister of CanNor and for the Arctic Council, I’m proud of the success of Nunavut’s mining industry, and the benefits it delivers to Nunavummiut and all Northerners. But a strong North is not just about mining. We are committed to building a strong, diversified and sustainable, economy for Northerners.
This year’s symposium supports a responsible approach to development. Sessions on education, training and community engagement will promote the collaboration that’s essential to responsible development. By working together, I’m confident that we can ensure that Nunavut’s mining industry—and the Northern economy as a whole—continues to live up to the theme of this year’s symposium, “Making the Grade.”
Qujannamiik. Thank you.
