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Objective 3: The Circumpolar World

OBJECTIVE: To support indigenous people in Canada working together to shape circumpolar policies and to support opportunities for young northern Canadians to apply their leadership potential at a pan-northern and circumpolar level.

Canada has taken a lead role in building a circumpolar community of nations. For example, Canada helped create the Arctic Council, pushed for a prominent indigenous voice on the Council and is raising awareness of the needs of Arctic children and youth. Canada even has an Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs.

Indigenous peoples have taken a leadership role in circumpolar affairs and have an important effect on how the circumpolar community evolves:

• The Arctic Council includes permanent Aboriginal participants.
• Canada’s foreign policy includes a branch that deals with the North. This Northern Dimension makes Aboriginal issues a priority.
• Canada’s Northern Contaminants programme has united communities, non-government organizations, scientists, and government. The Programme has put forth Aboriginal interests to change global policy.
• Inuit and other northern Aboriginal peoples have effectively raised awareness of the human effects of climate change on the world stage.

Young people also play an important role, as many Arctic issues will most profoundly affect their generation. Youth throughout the circumpolar north are organizing and linking together in new ways. Many young northerners care deeply about keeping and strengthening their cultures, but at the same time have multiple identities and also feel "at home in the world".

Many factors can affect how circumpolar public policy develops and who is involved:

• Other foreign policy priorities can take precedence over circumpolar issues, even though circumpolar issues include climate change, long-range pollutants, missile defence, and others.
• Many different groups work on some or all of these pressing issues. But they have few chances to share information and coordinate strategies.
• It is expensive and time-consuming to influence policy at this level. Northern indigenous and youth groups have limited financial and human resources. The Northern public also has few resources. Yet Northerners live day-to-day with the effects of climate change, long-range pollutants, petroleum exploration and other decisions and actions made in Washington and elsewhere.
• When Northerners cannot participate, Northern priorities can get lost and southern priorities can dominate. The history of Canada's relationship with Northern communities is full of examples.

The Foundation can support indigenous people in Canada working together to shape circumpolar policies and can also support opportunities for young northern Canadians to apply their leadership potential at a pan-northern and circumpolar level.

This includes support for public outreach, education, and building partnerships with other groups across the Canadian and circumpolar North. We need more and stronger Northern Aboriginal and northern youth voices involved in making circumpolar policy.

Please read our Application Information and call us.

To get a better sense of the Foundation's work in the North, read the following Highlights:

• The Northwest Passage: Who's Issue?

  With many now predicting a Passage completely free of ice during the summer in as few as 15 years, discussion about Canadian sovereignty over Arctic waters is again heating up. But two groups who will be most impacted are currently marginalized or excluded from this discussion: Northerners and the young.

• Helping Arctic Youth Mobilize to Take Action on Climate Change

  The Students on Ice Arctic Expedition of 2005.

• Indigenous Perspectives on Oil and Gas Development Across the Arctic

  The Arctic and sub-arctic will become a major supplier of oil and gas to the world in the coming decades. Are indigenous perspectives being heard as this is being planned and rolled out?

• Circumpolar Young Leaders Program

  An international work placement program for young Canadians interested in Arctic sustainable development policy.

• University of the Arctic: Creating an Advanced Emphasis in Northern Governance and Policy Studies

  The absence of relevant higher education opportunities is a major impediment to northerners stepping into government and policy-related careers. Learn about one attempt to help address this.

• Support for young policy researchers and social entrepreneurs

  Helping individual young northerners connect with opportunities to learn about and influence public policy, and to take their ideas to the next level.

You may also find it helpful to look at other publications and links relating to the circumpolar world.