Pan Arctic Forum

National Post published an article online titled, “Romantic notions about the Arctic must include Indigenous rights.” The article reads in part as follows;

“The Arctic is many things to many people. In Canada, this malleability has made the region an incredibly valuable vehicle for nation-building and identity construction.

As a Newfoundland-born international politics scholar and author who researches Canada’s relationship with the Arctic, I believe that very pliability of the Arctic is an important feature of Canadian society, one that’s been cultivated for decades. The Arctic has intrigued many of us for myriad reasons since Confederation.

World Policy Blog uploaded a podcast titled, “World Policy On Air, Ep. 134: ‘Innovation at the Arctic Council.'” The podcast discusses the following:

“In 1987, Mikhail Gorbachev became the first major political figure to deliver a speech on Arctic issues, setting in motion a process to establish a regional governance body. This week on World Policy On Air, Nadine Fabbi, lead for the International Policy Institute Arctic Fellows program, Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington, discusses the progress the Arctic Council has made after 30 years of operation.”

Click here to listen to the podcast.

World Policy blog posted an article titled, “Stronger Together: Weaving Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science.” The article reads in part as follows;

“As the president of the Saami Council, Áile Javo, reminded the Arctic Council in 2015, “neither science nor traditional knowledge alone can provide the answers needed to face the impacts of Arctic change.” Since its founding, the Arctic Council has recognized the importance of working with both Western science and Indigenous Knowledge, also referred to as Traditional Knowledge, to address challenges in the Arctic. But the process of incorporating two different knowledge systems into Arctic Council research and projects has proven difficult and slow.

World Plicy Blog uploaded an article titled, “No PAME No Gain for Indigenous Groups.” The article reads in part as follows;

“We all know the Arctic is melting. What is not clear is whether indigenous rights are disappearing alongside it. The retreating ice has attracted interest as new shipping routes and fishing areas become more accessible, and the potential for discovering and extracting from natural resource reserves increases. As attention is drawn to economic opportunities, environmentalists are pushing to protect marine ecosystems from further harm. But as these interests converge in the Arctic, the role of indigenous groups has become muddled and their voices subdued. An open discussion with all stakeholders is required to form sustainable solutions, and the Protection of Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) Working Group of the Arctic Council is designed for that purpose.

World Policy Blog posted an article titled, “Breaking the Ice for Indigenous Voices on the World Stage.” The article reads in part as follows;

“‘Inuit with our fellow Indigenous Peoples are not stakeholders. We are the main players’. This is how J. Okalik Eegeesiak, current chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, ended her February 2016 speech titled ‘An Inuit Vision of the Arctic in 2045‘ in front of the Wilton Park international forum in London. Unfortunately, her description of indigenous peoples’ roles is not reflected in state policies anywhere in the world. Today, indigenous representatives continue to struggle to make their voices heard in a system that favors state-centric forms of governance and Westphalian concepts of nationhood and sovereignty. The creation of the Arctic Council, however, may have broken the ice for indigenous groups by promoting a higher level of participation in both regional and international institutions.