From Norway to Nunavut: A Q&A with Morten Høglund on his trip to Canada

What was the purpose of your trip to Ottawa and Iqaluit?

The purpose of my trip was to meet with Canadian colleagues as well as relevant representatives and organizations to gain some firsthand insight into Canada's priorities in the Arctic. I had never been to Nunavut before this, and I felt it was important that I go to that region to gain a greater understanding of the environmental, social and sustainable development issues from a North American perspective.

I was accompanied by my colleague Inga Nyhamar who is currently Chair of the Council’s Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG). Canada is home to the newly established SDWG secretariat in Québec City, and Inga had made an additional visit to Université Laval to visit the Secretariat, as well as our partners at the university and colleagues from the Government of Québec. The Senior Arctic Official for Canada, Robert Sinclair, also accompanied us in Iqaluit.

What were some highlights from your trip?

At the beginning of the trip while in Ottawa, we had a very good meeting with Canadian representatives in the Arctic Council’s Working Groups. We had a constructive dialog around the great projects and activities currently underway in the Working Groups and experiences and lessons learned working under the guidelines for virtual meetings, as well as future ambitions and potential new projects.

The biggest highlight for me was being in Iqaluit, meeting with representatives from Nunavut and learning about their priorities and plans that are in place in Iqaluit. I felt a lot of energy while in Iqaluit and was inspired by the positive attitudes and optimism that many people expressed.

What impressions from Iqaluit will you take back with you to Norway?

The energy, and all the possibilities the people of Iqaluit see for building a sustainable society is something I will take with me from this trip. For us southerners, Iqaluit looked like an extremely remote part of the world, but the people that live there have sustained over generations. They have adapted to many changes, they have extensive knowledge, and they see a future. So, it’s all about utilizing these opportunities. Of course they face challenges, but I was positively surprised by how the representatives we met view their future and their vision for sustaining these communities in Nunavut and the larger Canadian Arctic.

What are some of the key issues you discussed?

Infrastructure is of course very critical, whether it’s broadband or more physical infrastructure such as ports. On our first day in Iqaluit, we observed the new deep sea port, which will allow for more efficient transport of goods. We also discussed environmental issues such as adapting to climate change and biodiversity. Discussions on development issues included education opportunities, health and access to healthcare, business opportunities and economic viability. There are many challenges in any community, and in communities as remote and small as Iqaluit it can be difficult to retain the professionals and resources to address them fully.

One common theme that came up in many of my discussions was the importance of Indigenous knowledge. Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous knowledge holders must be involved in research processes from the very start. This is something we prioritize within the Arctic Council.

What are some similarities or differences that you’ve seen between Iqaluit and the Norwegian Arctic?

There are similarities in certain aspects, such as key issues being around education, healthcare and infrastructure for example. However, the scale is completely different. In the Canadian Arctic there are huge distances, and many communities aren’t accessible by roads, which is very different from what we experience in Arctic Norway.

I think the generosity and hospitality of people really stands out. They have shown a willingness to adapt, which they have always had to do whether it’s due to climate change or political changes. They have proven that they know how to live and prosper in this amazing environment. However, it’s very difficult to compare, and I think we just have to be respectful that there are huge differences. I understood from my conversations that people benefit from exchanging experiences and views and learning from each other across the Arctic. That’s something they want to continue, and the Arctic Council is perfectly placed to make that happen.

Do you think this type of exchange to a different region of the Arctic could be a useful format for future Chairships?

Especially during this time when we aren’t having regular meetings at the Senior Arctic Official level, I think it’s very important that the Chairship is still able to meet people and also just experience different parts of the Arctic. We are working in a circumpolar context, and we need to have an understanding of what the different regions in the Arctic look like. For me, not having visited this part of the Arctic before, it was very important. I certainly have benefited from creating new connections, and I’m hopeful that my perspectives on the way forward for the Norwegian Chairship and Arctic Council as a whole will benefit from this visit. Some of the benefits are quite tangible, for example during the visit we discussed new possibilities for Arctic Council projects. I am quite certain that there is real value to such visits.

Additional photos from Morten Høglund's visit to Canada