NUUK, GREENLAND - Nuanvut MP Leona Aglukkaq signed the Nuuk Declaration on behalf of Canada May 12, committing the country to co-operating in search and rescue efforts in the Arctic.

The Arctic Council met in Nuuk, Greenland, earlier this month. On May 12, Canada along with seven other countries signed a search and rescue agreement. From left are Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq; Prime Minister Kaj Leo Johannesen of the Faroe Islands; Jaako Laajava, Under-Secretary of State for Finland; Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State; and Lene Espersen, Denmark's foreign minister. - photo courtesy of Leona Aglukkaq

"This summer we will be doing a simulation to see how we would roll this out," she said.

Aglukkaq had few details about the simulation but said it would take place in addition to the Operation Nanook in Resolute in the late summer.

American and Danish military personnel will be in the area for navy exercises at the time, according to Joint Task Force North's chief of operations Lt. Col. Gino Chretien, and Operation Nanook will include the simulation of response to an airplane crash.

Denmark, Finland, Iceland, the Russian Federation, Sweden, United States of America and Norway also signed the Agreement on Co-operation on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue in the Arctic in Greenland. It allows for the sharing of information when it comes to communications, what search and rescue facilities are available as well as fuel sources, supplies and equipment.

Not only are various levels of government involved but so too are the Canadian Forces, the Canadian Coast Guard and the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Trenton, Ont.

For the Government of Nunavut, which has to call on outside sources such as the military during search and rescues, this legally binding agreement means another reason to push Ottawa for more equipment and human resources based in the North.

Currently, all aircraft involved in search and rescue come from the south.

"In Canada we will have to look at what search and rescue processes we have in our country so that we can fully engage and meet the requirements of the agreement," said Aluki Rojas, deputy minister for the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs with the Government of Nunavut.

She said an inventory of equipment and resources will have to be done across the country to see what there is available.

Aglukkaq said the Conservative government has already made significant investments in the North such as icebreakers, re-building the re-fuelling facility at Nanisivik near Arctic Bay, mapping and charting of Arctic waters and committing to build the High Arctic research station in Cambridge Bay.

It was also decided a task force would be created to discuss an Arctic oil spill preparedness and response agreement.

Drilling is already occurring in the Davis Strait off the coast of Greenland by Cairn Energy of Scotland.

Fears exist the industry could harm wildlife and put toxins in the water but Aklukkaq said that is why there is the Nunavut Impact Review Board.

"The mechanisms are in place to ensure protecting the environment and the land and the people," she said.

For the first time four Inuit were delegates at an Arctic Council meeting. Aglukkaq, Premier Eva Aariak, Greenland Prime Minister Kuupik Kleis and Northwest Territories Premier Floyd Roland, who is Inuvialuit, were all in attendance.

For Rojas, this was her first Arctic Council meeting. She said she got goosebumps seeing so many Inuit at this high profile meeting.

"It is inspiring to see that leadership on a world's stage."

Sweden took over the chairmanship position from Denmark. In 2013 it will be Canada's turn.

"We have to start thinking about a focus and it's important for us as a territory to voice our opinions," Rojas said.

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