Statement By The Prime Minister Of Canada

August 20, 2010

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement on Canada’s Arctic Sovereignty:
 
“Earlier today, Foreign Affairs Minister Cannon released Canada’s Arctic Foreign Policy that details our Government's broad approach to northern strategy.  That includes, working with our partners, where appropriate.  The number one priority of our northern strategy is the promotion and protection of Canadian sovereignty in the north.  That is what Canadians want us to do; that is what we will continue to do. 
 
“Every year when I have gone up North I have announced various initiatives in all four areas of our strategy, not just in terms of military investments.  I have made announcements in terms of economic and social development, in terms of environmental protection, and also in terms of measures of governance, improving the control of northerners over their own local affairs.  We will continue to make announcements in a wide range of areas, all of these things serve our number one and, quite frankly, non-negotiable priority in northern sovereignty, and that is the protection and the promotion of what is our North, the Canadian North”