December 8, 2011

International

Colliding Geopolitics and the Arctic (December 8, 2011): When we think about geopolitics, we typically don’t think about the Arctic or ‘High North’. Yes, we remember the intrepid explorers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries who searched, yet again, for lucrative shortcuts to Asian markets. We also remember the near-lethal hide-and-seek games of Cold War nuclear submarines. More often than not, however, the Arctic has not been part of mainstream international relations discourse. In recent years, however, interest in the region has returned; flags have even been planted on the seabed near the North Pole, most notably by a Russian military expedition in 2007. Climate change is obviously the catalyst behind this resurgent interest.

Durban protest lands six Canadian youth delegates in hot water (December 7, 2011): Youth say they're tired of Canada "putting pollution before people" Six members of the Canadian Youth Delegation —  students from university campuses across the country — were stripped today of their credentials and thrown out of the United Nations conference on climate change now underway in Durban, South Africa. The disruption took place as federal environment minister Peter Kent was outlining his government’s position on the Kyoto Protocol to delegates from the international community.

National

Aboriginal population on the rise: StatsCan (December 7, 2011): Canada's aboriginal population is growing at a faster rate than the country's non-aboriginal population, according to figures released Wednesday. Statistics Canada predicts the aboriginal population in Canada could swell to between 1.7 million and 2.2 million by 2031, making up between 4% to 5% of the total population. That's up from 2006, when 1.3 million aboriginal people made up 3.9% of the population.

Regional

Inuit population set to stay young and grow: Statistics Canada (December 7, 2011): By 2031, Inuit could number 77,000 The size of Canada’s young, aboriginal population will continue to grow during the next 20 years. And Inuit will remain the youngest and fastest growing of any aboriginal group, Statistics Canada said Dec. 7.

Taima TB may be a model for Nunavut: doctor (December 8, 2011): Tuberculosis project "had a very good response" in Iqaluit If you live in Nunavut, you’re 30 times more likely to be diagnosed with a new case of tuberculosis than other Canadians living elsewhere in the country. But thanks to this year’s Taima TB program, people in Iqaluit have been diagnosed and treated more quickly. That program, an ambitious combination of public education, social media outreach, door-to-door screening and treatment, launched last April.

Iqaluit food bank helps more during the holidays  (December 7, 2011): ‘Tis the season for joy and celebration. But in many households across Nunavut, the holiday season is also a time of hunger. The winter months are usually the busiest for Iqaluit’s Niqinik Nuatsivik food bank, and so longer line-ups during its Saturday distribution time come as no surprise to Jen Hayward, chair of the food bank’s board of directors.

Violence Against Women Recognized (December 7, 2011): The Nunatsiavut government recognized the National Day of Remembrance and Action Against Violence Tuesday. The minister of health and social development, Patricia Kemuksigak, says Aboriginal women are three and a half times more likely to be victims of violence than non-Aboriginal women.

KSB commissioners chose new leaders (December 8, 2011): The Kativik School Board has a new president. Johnny Kasudluak, the new school board commissioner for Inukjuak, was elected to lead the council of commissioners Dec. 7. Kasudluak ran against Akulivik commissioner Markusie Qinuajuaq for the presidency, and received twice as many votes. Kasudluak, a trained chef and former police officer, ran for the Green Party in the last federal election, losing to Abitibi-James Bay-Nunavik-Eeyou NDP MP Romeo Saganash.

A 'lab' for native claims (december 8, 2011): Issues could be solved without state The Plan Nord could become "a laboratory" in which aboriginal issues related to rights or profit-sharing could be worked out without the intervention of the state, former Quebec premier Pierre Marc Johnson told a conference on the government's development plan for Northern Quebec. Johnson was responding to a resident of Puvirnituq, who said there was "a gaping hole" in the Plan Nord. "I'm seemingly not allowed to own land," Harry Tulugak said.

NAM happy with new federal plan (December 7, 2011): Nunavut’s municipal leaders say a new federal plan will help protect investments in the territory’s public infrastructure. Members of the Nunavut Association of Municipalities, who met in Iqaluit Dec. 6, said the federal government’s new long-term infrastructure plan will stop the decline in funding to Nunavut’s municipal infrastructure.

Tides Canada puts Ilisaqsivik on its Top 10 list (December 7, 2011): Nunavut centre among Canada's "most innovative and forward-thinking projects" Clyde River’s Ilisaqsivik Society received some unexpected recognition this week, when Tides Canada, the country’s largest public foundation dedicated to the environment and social justice, listed the centre among its “Top 10 recipients for 2011.” The Tides Top 10 recognizes Canada’s “most innovative and forward-thinking projects and organizations that have demonstrated outstanding leadership, vision and real-world impact in addressing today’s most pressing environmental and social problems,” said a news release from the organization.

Mr. Curley makes a point, sort of (December 6, 2011): Imagine you’re the coach of a hockey team. You’re asked to win a cup final. But for the entire 60 minutes of the game, your team’s permitted to ice only four, not six, players per shift. If you’re in charge of Nunavut’s Department of Health and Social Services, you face the same obstacle. You have to play short-handed every day. And every day you must face the wrath of those who blame you for never being able to score a goal. Seen from that vantage point, Tagak Curley’s stated reasons for resigning from the Nunavut cabinet, where he served as minister of Health and Social Services, are not entirely unreasonable.

NWT housing won't evict tenants who can’t pay (December 7, 2011): People who owe the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation money won't face evictions this winter. The minister responsible for the corporation, Robert C. McLeod, announced a temporary moratorium on evictions Wednesday afternoon in the legislative assembly. McLeod said the grace period will be in place until April.

Tuktoyaktuk mayor wants to switch from diesel to natural gas (December 7, 2011): Mervin Gruben says community should take advantage of nearby reserves The mayor of Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T., says it's time for the community to start using its nearby natural gas reserves. The hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk spends more than $7 million dollars a year on energy, even though it only has a population of about 900 people. All of the town's electricity and most of its heating comes from diesel, which can be expensive to bring up by barge. Diesel is also one of the less environmentally friendly energy sources available.

Climate Change

Santa seeks new headquarters (December 8, 2011): THINGS ARE not looking good for Santa’s workshop at the North Pole. Arctic ice loss this year was the second largest on record, with more open sea and thinner ice cover overall. The melt this year opened up a viable “Northwest Passage”, a long-sought ice-free navigable route across the north of Canada, according to the latest data delivered by Nasa (the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and the National Snow and Ice Data Centre, based at the University of Colorado.

Permafrost retreats to the North Pole (December 8, 2011): The government of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District is getting ready to the 10th International Conference on Permafrost, which will take place in Salekhard in June 2012. The large-scale "northern" event organized by the International Permafrost Association every four years will be held in Russia for the first time.

Frozen Planet: capturing the Wilkins ice shelf in full collapse (December 7, 2011): The team were able to witness hundreds upon hundreds of icebergs – many over a mile long, stretching to the horizon

Changing Climate and Its Impact on Ship Routing (December 7, 2011): The warming planet and more predictable El Niño and La Niña cycles are presenting challenges and opportunities to shipping companies in ways that were not realized in the past. With each passing year we are seeing more transits along the Northern Sea Route (north of Russia) and through the NW Passage Route (through the Canadian Arctic). In addition to these climatic changes in the far northern latitudes, we are seeing short term pattern changes that are altering the face of how AWT supports shipping interests around the world.

Other

Arctic oil, gas exploration to intensify despite concerns (December 8, 2011): Exploration for oil and gas in offshore Arctic waters is set to intensify as new technologies allow operators to drill safely in more remote areas, Statoil CEO Helge Lund said Thursday. "Policies and technology represent barriers to Arctic activity but they are not show stoppers in my opinion," Lund told the World Petroleum Congress in Doha.

Alaska closes Nelchina subsistence caribou hunt (December 7, 2011): Amid concerns federal subsistence hunters are shooting up the Nelchina caribou herd along the Alaska and Taylor highways, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game closed the last of its hunts Tuesday. Division of Wildlife area biologist Rebecca Schwanke in Glennallen reported that to date drawing permit hunters, various types of state subsistence hunters, and federal subsistence hunters have reported killing 2,363 Nelchina caribou. The quota for the year is 2,400. She expects it will be exceeded.