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To combat harshness of life north of 60, Ottawa promotes natural resources development – and work it creates – as cure for what ails region
Stephen Harper shifted tone last week on his seventh annual foray to the Far North, talking less about national sovereignty and more about job creation. With most Canadians aware the north is not under any great foreign threat, the PM used the trip to focus more on northerners, promoting his ubiquitous jobs and growth strategy.
The region, which accounts for 40 per cent of Canada’s land mass, is becoming ever more high profile, with gradual melting opening up more economic opportunities. Resource exploitation, tour-ism and shipping are set to expand, and are bound to shine a bigger spotlight on those living in the region.
Northern residents are spread out across a vast terrain, with a population no bigger than that of Kelowna, at 117,000. More than half are aboriginal.
In a news release last week, Liberals attacked Harper’s annual northern visits: “Year after year this prime minister uses the north as a backdrop for Arctic sovereignty and military procurement,” said Liberal Northern Development critic Carolyn Bennett.
“Yet he continually fails to make any headway on the real issues facing Canada’s northern communities.”
It only makes political sense for the Conservative government to start addressing the northern needs.
In past years Harper’s chest-thumping announcements have related more to macro than micro projects – a deep-water port for Nanisivik, polar icebreakers, an expanded contingent of Armed Forces Rangers. That sort of thing.
And several of these sovereignty-related projects have been delayed by budget restrictions and other complications, over time hurting the government’s credibility and diminishing the political value to be derived from such big-ticket ventures.
Last week Harper focused more on the nitty gritty of creating jobs for northerners.
Visiting a copper-gold mine in Yukon, Harper brought his jobs-and-growth mantra north, saying Conservatives are “committed to promoting social and economic development” in the region.
Conservatives want to ensure “that northerners benefit from the tremendous natural resource reserves that are found in the region.”
The mining and energy sectors account for 25 per cent of territorial GDP, employing 5,000 northerners.
At present some 38 resource development projects are awaiting regulatory approval with the promise of an additional 8,000 jobs.
For the rest of this column, please go to the Vancouver Sun website: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Harper+sees+creation+solving+North+problems/7154641/story.html