The mistake we make as scientists is basing our research policies on funding and capacity building in southern Canada. We've talked about that today. We are well aware of how difficult it is for us to develop meaningful strategies in northern Canada, because we tend to apply southern solutions to the north. That's our default. The committee has heard that said a number of times. That's how we approach things.
The purpose of my research is to develop expertise in the study of climate change and to leverage the expertise that already exists in the north, so we can come up with effective strategies. At the last meeting, I believe there was a lot of focus on co-leading the development of strategies. Many of my more recent publications—in the last five or six years, perhaps—focus on the importance of working together. That's especially true of my work in Nunavik. Coming up with solutions and policies that can be applied in a very practical way hinges on the ability to bring together indigenous, northern and other knowledge.
These can be things that certain people don't really understand, so it's important to find ways to put a value on knowledge that would otherwise be disregarded. I think you talked about that with Alain Cuerrier. It's a tough issue to address, but we really have to try to come up with a number system of sorts. We need to do what we can to value northerners and their contribution, and partner with them to identify strategies that work for everyone.