IQALUIT - As Canada is trying to ascertain its sovereignty over the Arctic and establish its claim on the Northwest Passage, Nunavut will host a conference discussing transportation networks and economic opportunities in the North.

Patrick Doyle, president of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, says the conference will mainly focus on sovereignty, infrastructure and partnerships. - Jeanne Gagnon/NNSL photo

The inaugural Economic and Sovereignty Infrastructure Symposium is slated to be held at Iqaluit's Frobisher Inn from July 5 to 7.

The conference will mainly focus on sovereignty, infrastructure and partnerships that can be established between the two, said Patrick Doyle, president of Yellowknife's Chamber of Commerce. Using the example of a marine port, he said industry, community and the military could benefit from it.

"It's just making the case that partnering on some of these projects makes (it) much more economical, much more feasible if it's a partnership between industry and government," he said.

"From a sovereignty standpoint, it's use it or lose it. They (Nunavut) need access and surveillance capabilities. From an economic standpoint, they have a number of great deposits there in Nunavut but obviously, logistically it's fairly remote.

Probably the biggest cost driver is transportation. It's getting their products off to market. So ports, roads, all these different items kind of help both causes. That's the case we're trying to make."

The agenda is not yet finalized but Doyle said National Defence Minister Peter MacKay is a confirmed keynote speaker, as is federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq and Robert Gannicott, the CEO of Harry Winston Diamond.

The Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce, as well as other organizations and individuals expressed their interest in discussing Northern issues, said Doyle. He added as the chamber received positive feedback from its Yellowknife's Strategic Northern Infrastructure Symposium held last year, the decision was taken to hold a similar forum in Iqaluit.

Doyle said the conference will feature panels and keynote speakers and expects 100 to 120 delegates will attend.

"We're pretty confident we can at least get that. If it gets a little more traction and we fill up, that would be welcome news," he said.

David Ell, Iqaluit's deputy mayor, said a conference focused on infrastructure is beneficial as the territory needs more things like roads and ports.

"We don't have enough infrastructures in Nunavut. We need more. To start talking about it is good," he said Ell, who also works at Nunavut Eastern Arctic Shipping.

"We need more transportation infrastructure. The only major infrastructure in Nunavut that are all common is the airports. The communities don't connect to each other (with roads). The only way they connect to each other is by airplane. The boats, they take a long time unloading because we don't have any ports. We need ports in every community if possible."