The Idea of the North

Canadians are united by certain ideas and traditions that built and sustain our nation. In our art, literature and collective imagination, the idea of the North features prominently as one of these ideas. From Tom Thomson’s Jack Pine to the poems of Robert Service, from the high adventure of the voyageurs to the establishment of the North-West Mounted Police (today’s RCMP), the North represents the boundless potential and possibility of Canada. All Canadians share a common interest in the North, and, as we enter a new age of environmental challenges and technological innovation, the North remains a priority for our government.

Last year, I was able to see our majestic Arctic first hand on a nine day hike through Auyuittuq National Park on Baffin Island. In the short time I was there, we witnessed the dramatic effects of melting glaciers. While hiking past a huge glacier of the Penny Ice Cap on day eight of our trek, we felt what seemed like a major earthquake. It was accompanied by an awesome roar, and suddenly, right in front of our eyes, a massive section of the glacier came crashing down the mountain, smashing everything in its path. Upon our return to Pangnirtung, local Inuit told us that the glaciers are retreating at a very rapid rate of 20 feet a year. While what we saw was only one event, it does corroborate what scientists are telling us about our warming climate, and brought home to me the impact of climate change.

While the exploration of our North has played an important role in our development as a nation, it also continues to play in an important role today in demonstrating to other nations our sovereignty over this area. On July 21st, Parks Canada embarked on a 10-day archaeological survey in Aulavik National Park to locate the HMS Investigator wreck and document Captain Robert McClure’s expedition. Government officials found and documented the wreck and the grave sites of three sailors, the final resting place of men who lost their lives looking for the North-West Passage. As the warming climate opens up new routes through the Arctic, our ability to document past exploration will be crucial in making the case for our sovereignty over the North.

In addition to documenting past explorations to demonstrate our sovereignty, we are also using advanced technological resources. That is why, on August 25th, our government announced its support for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM). The RCM consists of a fleet of three state-of-the-art remote-sensing satellites, the successors of the RADARSAT-1 and RADARSAT-2 satellites. They will extend the 15-year archive of RADARSAT images, a rich source of geophysical information about Canada. These images are a critical resource of information documenting environmental changes and human habitation, and are of key interest to government policy makers and university researchers. RCM is part of our government’s Northern Strategy to maintain Canada’s sovereignty, to protect the fragile Arctic ecosystem and to encourage good governance, local control, and opportunity for Northerners. This new phase of RADARSAT will ensure we stay at the forefront of these priorities.

As the strategic importance of Canada’s Arctic grows, these initiatives are more critical than ever. With other countries becoming more interested in the Arctic and its rich resource potential, with new trade routes opening up, and with the fragile ecosystem under threat from a warming climate, we must put more focus on the sovereignty and environment of the Arctic.

Michael Chong is the Member of Parliament for Wellington-Halton Hills and can be reached through his website

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