Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation, Toronto
15-Jan-2012
International experts to recommend key issues as Canada prepares to assume Arctic Council chair
With an eye on rapid changes in the resource-rich Arctic, countries like China, India and Brazil, which have no Arctic territories, are nonetheless knocking on the door of the increasingly influential Arctic Council looking for admission as permanent observers.
The issue has divided existing members, with Russia and Canada most strongly opposed. It is among the major questions with which Canada will have to grapple as it prepares to chair the Council next year.
It will also feature prominently on the agenda of a two-day meeting on the future of the Arctic Council, January 17-18 in Toronto: The 2nd annual Munk-Gordon Arctic Security Conference, which has attracted the participation of several experts, national ambassadors and indigenous leaders — more than 100 participants from 15 nations in all.
Example coverage: The Canadian Press, click here; Globe and Mail op-ed, click here; United Press International, click here
Coverage summary, click here
Full news release, click here