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OTTAWA — Canada’s northern leaders say their territories are ready to become economic contributors for Canada.
The question is whether the federal government’s approach to northern development will help them reach the promised land.
The premiers of Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon each had a chance to bend Stephen Harper’s ear during the prime minister’s annual northern tour last week. In separate interviews with Postmedia News, the premiers indicated they outlined different priorities requiring federal support.
For Nunavut’s Eva Aariak, that meant pushing for more assistance on social issues like mental health, investments in much-needed infrastructure such as roads and ports, and devolution.
Devolution is the process by which the federal government grants a province or territory greater control over its own affairs, in this case Nunavut’s land and abundance of natural resources.
“There is so much happening in Nunavut in terms of development and the shipping activities that are happening more and more,” Aariak said. “The people of Nunavut need to take charge with their own land.”
For the Northwest Territories’ Bob McLeod, whose jurisdiction concluded a devolution agreement with the federal government earlier this year, housing and infrastructure were top of mind.
“We have had discussions with the federal government on housing,” McLeod said. “We have some very big concerns about the need for more housing in the Northwest Territories and we’re still talking about those things.”
Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski was focused on expanding alternative and renewable energy to help expand and diversify his territory’s booming economy.
“We feel that we as a territory can become a net contributor to this nation, and we feel strongly about that,” Pasloski said. “The missing piece right now to really unleash the next few generations of growth will be new hydro.”
Each premier’s approach was contingent on the different territory’s needs, and state of economic and social development.
“In Ottawa or Toronto, there is that misconception or effort to lump us all together,” Pasloski said. “There are some real stark contrasts in terms of economic development, social development, all of these things.”
The Harper government has outlined four areas of focus for its northern approach: protecting Canadian sovereignty; strengthening environmental safeguards; giving more power to the territories through devolution; and promoting strong, sustainable northern communities.
On this last point, the government provides about $2.5 billion in annual, unconditional funding to the three territories to pay for hospitals, schools, social services and infrastructure needs.
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