May 10, 2011 - Premier, Floyd K. Roland will travel to Nuuk, Greenland this week to participate in the seventh Ministerial Meeting of the Arctic Council.  The Council is the leading forum through which Canada advances its Arctic foreign policy and promotes Northern Canadian interests.

The Arctic Council is made up of representatives of the eight circumpolar nations of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden and the United States. Additionally, six international indigenous people’s organizations are permanent participants on the council: the Arctic Athabaskan Council (AAC), the Aleut International Association (AIA), the Gwich’in Council International, (GCI), the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON) and the Saami Council.

Ministerial meetings of the Arctic Council are held every second year to report on work under the outgoing Chairmanship and to consider the priorities for the incoming Council Chair.

Circumpolar relations are important for all Arctic States and Canada continues to play an influential role in the Arctic Council. For this reason, Premier Roland notes, it is important that Northern positions influence Canada’s priorities within this preeminent circumpolar forum.

Premier Roland was the first NWT Premier to attend an Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting when he attended in Norway in 2009.  He is committed to working with partners in the federal and territorial governments, Aboriginal organizations, and other circumpolar nations to ensure Northern issues are addressed by Northern voices.

For more information, contact:
Drew Williams
Press Secretary for Premier/Cabinet
Government of the Northwest Territories
Phone (867) 669-2304