Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 25/99) - Mary Simons is in the midst of something many Northerners accuse federal government officials of rarely doing -- talking directly to residents of the Far North.

As Canada's Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs, she's now on a consultation tour of the NWT and other Northern areas which will take her to Iqaluit, Igloolik, Yellowknife, Inuvik, Whitehorse, Yukon, Kuujjuaqa, Quebec, Rankin Inlet and Goose Bay, Labrador.

Her mission is to visit these locales and hold consultation meetings concerning the plan, announced last September, for Ottawa to develop a Northern foreign policy.

"There has never been a Northern dimension to Canadian foreign policy," she said during an interview with News/North last week. "In order to have an effective policy, it has to have Northern input."

Her boss, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lloyd Axworthy, recognized this in releasing a consultation paper entitle "Toward a Northern Foreign Policy for Canada" last fall.

"In the past, Canada's Northern foreign policy was derived from values and perspectives originating in the south and reflecting little awareness of, or concern for, Northern interests," he said. "In contrast, more than ever before, the Northern foreign policy framework presented in this document has been influenced very substantially by input from the North. It reflects the significant body of contributions from Northern Canadians over the past few years...."

Simon praised the work of Northern leaders who are already extensively involved in foreign policy through a variety of circumpolar organizations.

"Northerners are really the pioneers of circumpolar co-operation," she said. "They've been players all along."

Ottawa has pledged the policy will revolve around seven major themes. They are sustainable development, environmental protection, social and cultural renewal, regional good governance and democratic development, Northern sovereignty and security, bilateral relations with Northern neighbours and the consultative process and national unity.

Simons' consultations will wrap up in early March with Axworthy expected to submit the policy to the federal cabinet for approval in the spring.