On the Front Lines of Canada's Northern Strategy

Yesterday the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) released a report titled "On the Front Lines of Canada's Northern Strategy," which states that northern communities lack the infrastructure needed to achieve the objectives of Canada´s Northern Strategy.

As I have said before, any successful northern strategy requires a people-first focus developed in partnership with the people who live there.

The FCM media release for the report notes that

... Canada has failed for decades to make the ongoing investments needed to sustain northern development while its northern neighbours - Sweden, Norway, Finland, and the United States – steadily strengthened their northern presence. Due to the lack of a long-term plan, today the North lacks the infrastructure to support its families, its businesses, and Canada´s national interests.

The situation is growing more urgent as a warming climate melts the ground beneath Northern communities. In the Northwest Territories alone, it is expected to cost at least $230 million to protect vulnerable buildings, more than $5,000 for every man, woman and child.

I commend the FCM for raising awareness of the need for quality roads, bridges and community facilities, access to clean drinking water, increased bandwidth and climate change adaptation strategies. To this list I would add a critical lack of affordable housing, and I encourage the FCM and other leaders to make this a top priority for our communities.

On the whole I welcome the FCM report and urge the federal government to take its findings seriously and work with Inuit toward the goal of vibrant and sustainable communities across the Inuit homeland that will achieve the objectives of Canada's Northern Strategy.

The media release for the report is also available in Inuktitut. The full report, executive summary, and key findings of the report, are also available online.

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