Yellowknife (Apr 14/03) - Members of the federal government's Northern research caucus were recently in Iqaluit gathering ideas and opinions on how it can help support research in the North.

Mary Ellen Thomas, chair of the Nunavut Research Council, said the efforts being made by the federal caucus are very encouraging.

"I think the North has some unique issues that need to be studied, like climate change that is happening here before they happen anywhere else in Canada. It's nice to see government caucus support," she said.

The goals set out by the caucus are numerous. Nunavut Liberal MP Nancy Karetak-Lindell is part of the caucus and also believes the North has a lot of issues that need to be explored. She said Nunavut is less involved in Arctic research than countries like Japan and Russia.

"We're not doing that well as far as grading ourselves in Arctic Research. Climate change is a real concern here -- we're the first in Canada to feel it -- and we should be studying it," she explained.

In order to reach this goal, Karetak-Lindell and the caucus want to make Nunavummiut aware that doing scientific research is not out of their reach. To get this message across, the caucus plans on recommending that it be emphasized in schools.