“Military cash could fix crumbling Arctic infrastructure, Ottawa told.
Federation of Canadian Municipalities issues northern strategy in wake of PM’s tour of region.”
So read the headline published in the GLOBE AND MAIL dated August 31, 2010 and written by a Steve Rennie.
Ever watch the nightly news, whether on Global TV or CBC TV? Ever wonder too, when it comes to forecasting the “national” weather, the weather person mentions nothing of weather reports in Canada’s Arctic. When will the Arctic ever get daily attention like southern Canadian regions? For Prime Minister Harper, at least, he has been making annual visits: this time he can add Inuvialuit (Inuit) dancing to his performing arts resume too.
The above noted article though points to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities recommending the injection of cash to fix the Arctic’s crumbling infrastructure. For those of us who are from the Arctic or those of you who have been lucky enough to visit will likely agree the Arctic’s infrastructure mirrors the conditions of the First Nations reserves in southern Canada. In fact, many will agree the Arctic communities are just that: Arctic reserves with gravel roads, no running water (sub-standard quality at best), and decrepit weathered buildings combined with incredible remoteness. While it is important to assert sovereignty with a stronger military presence, money should also be spent in “building healthier communities, protecting the environment and diversifying the regional economy” as outlined in the federal government’s 2007 northern strategy.
While some may agree, there is no money in “world peace” but it is wars and rumors of wars that fuel the world’s economy, let’s therefore use some of that money Canada has promised and inject or stimulate the Arctic economy so that the Inuit can feel some sense of significance: fixing its current infrastructure could be a start. With more attention paid to the Arctic: perhaps Global TV and CBC TV may finally broadcast the weather in Canada’s Arctic in their “national” forecast.
