Science and Research Committee on June 4th, 2024

[Henry Burgess]

It was decided, back in 2018 or 2019, that Canada and the Arctic were priorities for UK Research and Innovation investment. At that point, we began open and frank conversations with funding agencies in Canada to see how we could work together, essentially—how we could bring the best of UK expertise and assets together with Canadian expertise and assets, and, from that, develop the CINUK programme. It was very much as a result of frank and direct conversations with Polar, NRC, Fonds de recherche du Québec, Parks Canada and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. Understanding what each partner could bring to the table meant we could then bring this program as a whole together, which works equally well for all three communities.

[Richard Cannings, NDP, South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Thank you.

How much time do I have, Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Valerie Bradford]

You have 56 seconds.

[Richard Cannings, NDP, South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Okay. That's one minute, more or less.

I'm going to turn to Ms. Koperqualuk.

You mentioned the Inuvialuit Community Research Network. I wonder if you could expand on that. How does that work, and what role might the Inuit Circumpolar Council play in projects?

[Lisa Koperqualuk]

This network is under the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and brand new. They'll be doing research priorities in their communities. They're already quite busy doing research on the impacts of contaminants and plastic pollution on marine mammals, so they're quite active. They're building capacity and self-determination through that community-led research on climate change.

[Richard Cannings, NDP, South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Thank you.

I'll leave it there, Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Valerie Bradford]

We will now turn to our five-minute round, beginning with MP Michelle Rempel Garner.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

We're at the point where we're trying to drive towards recommendations for a report by the committee. One thing that's been coming up in other testimony has been the need for a formal Arctic research strategy for Canada that links with both the Arctic strategy itself and any potential Arctic defence strategy that the government chooses to make stronger.

I note that the United States has a biannually updated Arctic research strategy that has clear goals and objectives for its research strategy, which also ties into a piece of legislation that the Americans have with regard to Arctic management.

To any of the witnesses, is a specific Arctic research strategy something that the committee should recommend developing to the government?

[Lisa Koperqualuk]

Sure. Definitely. I would say that an Arctic research strategy should include Inuit and Inuit knowledge.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Yes.

[Lisa Koperqualuk]

As I said in the presentation earlier, we have a lot of research fatigue. Researchers are coming into our communities doing scientific work and being really good western scientists and so on, but that often means that our knowledge is not included, because western science often has trumped Inuit knowledge. It must include it.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

So you're recommending that the government develop a research strategy that includes Inuit indigenous knowledge as an underlying foundation, as part of that strategy.

[Lisa Koperqualuk]

Exactly. Yes.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Perfect.

The other thing, Laurie, if I may call you that, that I keyed in on was the fact that I think you were trying to say that Canada isn't sufficiently addressing climate change adaptation, either infrastructure or initiatives, in its own Arctic. Is that a correct summary of what you had mentioned in passing earlier?

[Lisa Koperqualuk]

Did you mean Lisa?

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Lisa. I'm sorry. My apologies. My friend Laurie is on my mind this morning. I'm sorry about that.

[Lisa Koperqualuk]

Okay.

Yes, I think there are gaps. There could be more efficient communication and more efficient consultations. We can't expect Inuit, who don't have very easy access to the Internet, to be able to answer survey questions just through the Internet. The connection with communities is very important when creating those strategies. That's a gap. It's missing.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

In terms of recommendations, then, as part of an Arctic research strategy that includes Inuit knowledge, one of the recommendations would be a requirement for processes to consult with Inuit community members in ways that are sensitive to the communications needs and context of the community. Would that be correct?

[Lisa Koperqualuk]

This is correct.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Thank you.

I noted another recommendation. There are five goals within the American research strategy. I'm not saying that we necessarily cut and paste what the Americans have outlined, but it is very goal-focused. You have talked about the need for research around climate adaptation in Canada's Arctic so that it could inform funding. Would that be correct?

[Lisa Koperqualuk]

That would be correct.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Great.

Are there other specific research areas or goals that you would recommend within your cultural context that an Arctic research strategy should include in Canada?

[Lisa Koperqualuk]

Other research areas would be inclusive of Inuit definitions of climate change and the impacts of climate change. What does adaptation mean? What are the mitigation costs? With the high cost of living in the north, any transitionary costs cannot just be done without consulting with us. It has to be a just and equitable transition.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

That's a great recommendation.

As well, how could we structure our research? What should the committee be recommending on the content of a research strategy in terms of linkage with your cultural context to a northern sovereignty or a northern defence strategy? What are the research area gaps that an Arctic research plan should include in that context?

[The Chair, Liberal, Valerie Bradford]

That's over the time.

Could we get our witness to submit a written answer? Would you be able to do that, Ms. Koperqualuk?