The Centre for the North

Canada’s North Matters to All Canadians

Anja Jeffrey, Director, Centre for the North
November 10, 2011

The North looms large in our national imagination—but not in the daily lives of most Canadians. What happens in the North, however, matters to all of us. How our Northern communities develop will have a real impact on the economic future of our country, and all of us need a better understanding of the forces at work.

Watch conference highlights from Canada’s North Beyond 2011

This is why The Conference Board of Canada’s Centre for the North decided to convene a conference in October—Canada’s North Beyond 2011. At the Edmonton conference, 300 Canadian and international thought leaders and decision-makers discussed issues that matter most to the North: governance, resource development, community security, infrastructure, and human capital.

Education is the Key

A compelling speech by former Prime Minister Paul Martin drove home the point that improving the educational outcomes of Aboriginal youth is more than an economic issue; he called it the single most important moral issue that Canada faces as a country. He pointed to the newly launched National Strategy for Inuit Education as an example of an initiative that requires support and funding. Mary Simon, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, stressed that Inuit people must educate their way to prosperity and healthier communities by reducing their high school dropout rates and preparing youth for post-secondary education. Only by improving their educational outcomes will Northerners be able to take full advantage of emerging opportunities.

Investing in Opportunities

The world is hungry for Canada’s resources—gold, silver, copper, zinc, diamonds, oil, and gas. Many of these resources are found in our vast Northern spaces, but realizing these opportunities will require investment. Northwest Territories Premier Floyd Roland called on the federal government and the private sector to work in partnership and to invest in the development of Northern resource projects. And Elyse Allan, President and CEO of GE Canada, added that spending in remote communities should be seen as a strategic investment and an enabler for Canada as a whole.

Only by improving their educational outcomes will Northerners be able to take full advantage of emerging opportunities.

A Collaborative Approach

Conference attendees were reminded that long-standing disputes must be addressed in the interests of all stakeholders before significant development can move forward in the North. Clément Chartier, President of the Métis National Council, suggested that Métis people could be on a collision course with development unless they are able to participate in consultation and negotiation.

The success of the conference proved that only a collaborative approach can produce the results that Northern and Southern Canadians alike are seeking. The energetic dialogue confirmed that the Centre for the North is on track and asking the right questions. Conclusions from the conference will help the Centre deliver results based on Northern perspectives, engagement, and interests. As conference co-chair Gabriela Sparling, Northwest Territories Deputy Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations, so poignantly stated: “The North is complex and we simply have to deal with it.”

The Centre will publish reports that will explore the development of major resource projects in the North, examine case studies of links between educational outcomes and economic success, and provide an analysis of transportation infrastructure requirements in remote communities, based on a case study of the Port of Churchill, Manitoba.