Good morning. I want to start by thanking you for this opportunity to speak to you and by welcoming you to Calgary.
The first temptation, when looking at the Canadian tax system, is to debate how the government should collect taxes or how much every individual or business should contribute to the system. I believe it is more important to discuss and understand the fundamental reasons that justify our tax system. In other words, why does government collect taxes?
Regardless of the jurisdiction, most Canadians will probably admit that health care, education, infrastructure, the environment, security, sovereignty, justice, and heritage and culture constitute the essential domains for which government should collect taxes. The challenge for political leaders, I believe, is to support these domains by meeting financial obligations for current and past commitments while recognizing and investing in national strategic opportunities for Canada's future.
In my view, Arctic Canada is definitely one of the latter. It is a strategic opportunity, and the federal government has a responsibility to enhance the north.
Baba Dioum, a Senegalese conservationist, said, “In the end, we will conserve only what we love. We love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.” In this context, if we want Canadians to care about the north, it is imperative to connect them to the Arctic. In tax terms, Canadian taxpayers will understand and support federal government initiatives in the Arctic.
Our proposed Polar Interpretive Centre of Canada initiative is the perfect instrument to connect Canadians to the Arctic. It is an opportunity as well to erase northern stereotypes and to discover the new north.
To achieve its goal, the Polar Interpretive Centre of Canada is planning to use a variety of methods, such as adaptive and interactive educational programs, for different audiences from coast to coast to coast. We are also planning to provide direct, firsthand, and virtual experiences with Arctic charismatic megavertebrates, such as polar bears and seals.
We want to establish distance learning opportunities. We want to disseminate bio-science research findings to national and international audiences. We want to initiate meaningful conservation programs and to support community economic development in the Arctic.
Located at the Calgary Zoo, the Polar Interpretive Centre of Canada will benefit from the zoo's existing expertise, infrastructure, networks, and world-renowned education and conservation programs. The Polar Interpretive Centre will also directly connect with millions of on-site and virtual visitors annually.
Don't get me wrong; this is not a traditional zoo project. Our initiative is as close to being a traditional zoo as the Cirque du Soleil is to being a traditional circus. The Polar Interpretive Centre of Canada will be a platform connecting Canadians to the Arctic—its wildlife, its people, and its challenges. The Polar Interpretive Centre of Canada will be a platform stimulating Arctic awareness. This platform will be a perfect venue for Canadians to learn to conserve, love, and understand the Arctic. This platform can be the perfect instrument to communicate federal Arctic initiatives to Canadians.
We sit before you today to tell you that we have secured or are in negotiations for almost 70% of the funding for the project. We still need to raise another 5% from the private sector. We need federal funding support of 25% of the cost. We request $35 million.
The federal tax system is in place to address national and strategic issues facing Canada. The Arctic is without a doubt critical to Canada's future. Sovereignty, national resources, climate change, species at risk, and heritage and culture are just a few of the issues facing the north. Only with the federal government's support will the Polar Interpretive Centre of Canada connect Canadians to the Arctic.
Thank you. Merci.