Tilson highlights Canada’s assumption of the chair of the arctic council
OTTAWA, ON – This afternoon, Dufferin-Caledon MP David Tilson rose in the House of Commons to pay tribute to The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health and the MP for Nunavut, as the incoming Chair of the Arctic Council. Mr. Tilson said:
“Mr. Speaker, as President of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association, it gives me great pleasure to congratulate the Minister of Health and the Member for Nunavut on assuming the role of Chair of the Arctic Council at next week’s Ministerial meeting in Kiruna, Sweden.”
“During her two-year term as Chair, the Minister will be promoting the overall theme of ‘Development for the People of the North’ with Responsible Arctic Resource Development, Safe Arctic Shipping and Sustainable Circumpolar Communities as areas of focus”.
“The Minister is an ideal choice for this prestigious role. As the first Inuk to hold the post of Chair, the Minister will be a strong champion and will advance the government’s arctic foreign policy and our domestic Northern Strategy.”
“We are a proud and strong arctic nation, Mr. Speaker. As the north faces new challenges, I know that as a northerner herself, the Minister will represent Canada’s arctic as the true north, strong and free.”