Canada values the long-standing
cooperation that our two countries have
fostered through collaboration on important
environmental and Arctic initiatives
February 6, 2014 - Ottawa,
Ontario - Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Canada - The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq,
Minister of the Environment, Minister of
the Canadian Northern Economic Development
Agency and Minister for the Arctic Council,
was in Washington, D.C., on February 3 and
4, 2014, to promote the Arctic Council’s
program during Canada’s chairmanship of
the Council and to discuss environmental
priorities and achievements, including progress
under the United States-Canada Clean Energy
Dialogue and the Commission for Environmental
Cooperation.
Minister Aglukkaq conducted
key bilateral meetings with Ernest Moniz,
U.S. Secretary of Energy, Gina McCarthy,
Administrator of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Kerri-Ann Jones, U.S.
Assistant Secretary of State, Alaska senators
Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich, and congressmen
Doc Hastings and Don Young.
Minister Aglukkaq held
a business round table to discuss common
areas of interest between Canada and the
United States and promoted Canada’s Arctic
Council chairmanship to members of the business
community, non-governmental organizations,
academia and think tanks at events celebrating
Arctic and pan-American cooperation.
During her meetings,
Minister Aglukkaq highlighted Canada’s success
in polar bear conservation and raised concerns
over the United States’ position on listing
the polar bear under appendix I of the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species,
which would have negative economic and social
impacts on Inuit. Minister Aglukkaq indicated
that in Canada, polar bears are protected
through a collaborative approach that is
based on scientific data and Aboriginal
traditional knowledge as well as principles
of sustainability.
The integration of Aboriginal
traditional knowledge into science is an
important priority for the Canadian chairmanship
of the Arctic Council. Minister Aglukkaq
was pleased to engage with the United States
on this important issue and looks forward
to continued work on this priority under
future chairmanships.
Quick Facts
The Government of Canada has a strong record
of collaboration with the United States
on initiatives to protect the environment.
For example, the two countries have worked
together:
through the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change;
as founding members of the Climate and Clean
Air Coalition;
through the Commission for Environmental
Cooperation;
through the Migratory Birds Convention;
through the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement;
and
in aligning regulatory actions when appropriate.
Canada has already aligned with the United
States on greenhouse gas emission regulations
for heavy and light-duty vehicles as part
of the Government of Canada’s sector-by-sector
regulatory approach to address climate change.
During Canada’s chairmanship,
the Arctic Council is focusing on responsible
Arctic resource development, safe Arctic
shipping and sustainable circumpolar communities.
The Council is developing recommendations
for incorporating traditional knowledge
into its work.
The Arctic Council’s overarching theme during
Canada’s chairmanship is “development for
the people of the North.”
Arctic states and indigenous
permanent participant organizations are
facilitating the creation of the Arctic
Economic Council, an independent body made
up of business representatives that will
foster development in the Arctic, facilitate
deeper circumpolar cooperation and provide
a business perspective to the Arctic Council’s
work.
Canada and the United States will have back-to-back
chairmanships of the Arctic Council, with
the United States holding the chairmanship
from 2015 to 2017.
