The Current - Canada's Arctic Ambassador wants to cultivate curiosity

Episode Date: June 26, 2026

Until last fall, Canada hadn't had an Arctic Ambassador in nearly twenty years. Now several months into her diplomatic role, Ambassador Virginia Mearns joins us from Iqaluit to discuss what increased global attention means for the region and why she wants more Canadians to cultivate their curiosity of the Arctic.

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This is a CBC podcast. Hello, I'm Matt Galloway, and this is the current podcast. A secure, prosperous, and peaceful Arctic, that is the common goal that Canada underscored in a joint statement last month, alongside its Arctic allies, Denmark, which includes Greenland, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the United States. It is a reminder that Arctic security continues to draw major attention in a geopolitical context, but security can mean a whole lot more than just defense, especially for, those who live in the north of this country. And one person who might know this better than anyone is Canada's Arctic ambassador. Virginia Merns was appointed to the reinstated position last year and joins us now from our studio in Echalwood.

Virginia Merns, good morning. Good morning. Who do you serve in this role? I mean, are you the voice of Ottawa in Canada's north or are you the voice of Canada's North and the Arctic peoples to Ottawa and the rest of the world? In my mind, I think it's a bit of both. I've had the great privilege of being able to engage with people across Canada's Northern Arctic region in the first few months in my role. And it has been really helpful to ground me in gaining perspective, especially from the regions where I don't live.

I don't have a deep sense of familiarity in terms of the history and cultural distinctions. So in that, I'm learning a lot myself, but also being able to have conversations in Ottawa about, okay, what does the conversation mean and how does it fit into the national picture? And then going outward into international venues, it is most definitely a combination of both. There's a lot of responsibility in taking on a role like this, especially coming from Inuit Nunungut, and to try and represent not only Inuit, but Canada. as northerners, Arctic peoples, indigenous peoples is a great responsibility. And so it is certainly incredibly exciting to be in this position right now, but also recognize that there's a significant weight that comes with this type of a position to do it properly. What is it that you think people down south?

What don't they understand about what life in the north of this country is like in 2026? I think part of it is that the tendency has been in the past, wherein there has been attention on the north, it's been in a very, maybe much more negative context and some of the really unfortunate realities that our community members have experienced and recognizing that this region, for a lot of folks, not just in Canada,

but elsewhere, have this assumption that the Arctic region is uninhabited and that it is a barren land that doesn't really have a human history to it, which is not the case. And so being able to bring some depth into the conversation in that context is really important for me

and to be able to shine light on how dynamic our communities are and how important they are to the country for our national interest, but also how our communities have contributed throughout history to the global reality as well. You told the House of Commons Committee last year to that point that you're encouraging curiosity. How do you hope curiosity and understanding more of the breadth of life in the North

among Canadians living down south would help people in the north of this country? I think if we take the approach of curiosity and an openness to learning, it really does enable us as individuals to take in and accept that there's a lot more that we don't understand and to be able to give other space to talk about their perspectives and their lived experiences and to be much more receptive to that. I think there's a nervousness for some folks that they'll be put in a position of feeling defensive and having to defend what has happened in the past or what is taking place. And so if we take the approach of curiosity,

it gives us a bit more confidence to be inquisitive, to engage in meaningful conversations, and to be receptive. Let me ask you about the past. We were in Akhala, last summer, and we heard from a lot of people about, I think it's fair to call it a pretty traumatic relationship that many in you would have with the idea of Arctic security.

There were people who had referred, to themselves as human flagpoles that in the past, the federal government moved entire communities in the name of Arctic sovereignty. How do you want to address that history in the context of the very real challenges to this country's Arctic security and sovereignty right now? I want to be in a position to be able to talk about that reality, to talk about our history and to be very open about that fact. We need to go beyond acknowledging that it happened. We need to also use that as a reminder

and to inform us on how we want to move forward collectively to continue to exercise our sovereignty as Canadians, but also to come up with really effective solutions on the security front as well. And so I think what's different now is that there is that willingness to have dialogue that didn't exist in the past. What shows you that that willingness is there?

Again, one of the things we heard was intentions are one thing, but you are measured by your actions. Exactly. And so what shows you that the actions meet those intentions? Well, even prior to my appointment, I had been working with one of the regional Inuit associations, and I was a part of a group of staff engaging with the Department of National Defense, Canadian Armed Forces who were engaging with communities to talk about the potential of investment and the expansion of presence in the Canadian Arctic and what does that mean. And that was one example where I felt like, okay, that there is a chance of this being done differently.

But also looking back to, I think it's almost two years ago now, where Nunavut Dungavik, Inc. and the government of Nunavut, worked together to put out an Arctic Security and Sovereignty Strategy, which came from the Nunavut perspective and really encouraged and talked about the fact that we need to look at this from a human standpoint and not just a military presence or a hard infrastructure presence, but also from the realities of our communities where we are right now and what we still need to do going forward. What is the opportunity here? There is a lot of money that is going to be spent.

over the course of X amount of years and decades in the north. What do you see as the opportunity? There are many opportunities. There's many aspects to these investments that are a part of current dialogue as well, recognition that it is not only just increasing presence with our Canadian Armed Forces and with infrastructure expansion, but in that we can pursue training opportunities

for those that live in the communities that will be directly impacted, opportunities from a business standpoint, opportunities to strengthen the relationships between our communities and Canada. I think we can look at it from so many different perspectives and this is something that's being talked about in the northern communities

is that it's not necessarily linear, that there are many layers to this and those layers bring a lot of opportunities if we pursue them. We'll be right back. with more of the current podcast. I am an actor, fresh out of theater school with big dreams and an even bigger drug habit. But things are pretty good.

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There are also concerns as to how those opportunities will play out. I spoke with Natan Obed earlier this year. He's the president of Inuitaparit Kanatami. And we were talking, we've spoken multiple times. So we were talking in this occasion about the federal defense spending in the north and investing in dual-use infrastructure where roads and airports often come to mind. But he was thinking beyond that as well. Have a listen to what Natano Bid said. We do hope that moving forward, say, clean drinking water or hydropower over diesel power or marine infrastructure, those will also be considered as dual use and that we can build out opportunities together rather than hearing about opportunities as they come to us from the federal government. Virginia Merns, how do you go about narrowing that gap? And in your role as the Arctic ambassador, how can you help northern communities and the federal government kind of close those ambitions in some ways and make sure that those communities are actually getting what they need from this investment?

Well, and that's a big part of the ongoing dialogue that's happening with representatives from our Department of National Defense and the Canadian Armed Forces is doing that deeper. analysis and confirmation as to what constitutes dual use. And the recognition that by increasing presence, there's going to be an increased demand on a lot of resources in any given community where a presence is going to be, which includes access to clean water, which includes access to energy sources and recognizing that even right now as it stands, a lot of our communities are exceeding what's available to them. And so how do we resolve that? How do we bring? what's happening right now, what is potentially going to happen in the future and address that. And so with these investments, it's a great opportunity to be able to talk about those longstanding

infrastructure gaps that have been identified for many, many years by leadership from our Northern Arctic communities, whether it's from our municipalities, our territorial governments, indigenous organizations, national indigenous organizations. how do we seize this opportunity to continue to collaborate and coordinate and ensure that as much as possible we are addressing these really long, outstanding needs in the region? So if you take a look at a project like the Graze Bay Port and Road in Western Inuit, which just this week was earmarked for acceleration, if I can put it that way, by the federal government,

how is that going to help the people who live in the community? Well, there's great opportunities if we can coordinate and come to, agreement as to who has first access to those job opportunities in the building of the road. That's a big if I might say. That's a big if I might say. That's a big if, right? And I think it's a big if on any of the major projects. We need to be grounded in our foundational arrangements that we have. And so in Nunavut in particular, we have the Nunavut Agreement, but across Canada's North and Arctic, we have moved. many modern treaties that are the foundation of the relationship of the government of Canada with the indigenous peoples.

And so that is a starting point. And a lot of those have provisions that were negotiated and agreed to through ratification that give parameters and access for our community members to have opportunity and to be able to pursue those opportunities in a self-determined manner. And so for those community members who might be suspicious, given past history and wonder, they want to see proof that the government is working in good faith, what would you say to them? To keep talking, to keep pushing for accountability, to be engaged in the conversations, to be inquisitive and ask questions, and to look for the information that they feel may be missing. And so being engaged is such a critical aspect.

to this. We can't be complacent. You were in Greenland earlier this year for the opening of Canada's consulate in NUC. This came at a time when, I mean, you had the U.S. President Donald Trump threatening to take Greenland. We are dealing with our relationship with the United States on a number of different fronts right now. And it felt in Canada opening that consulate that that was a way to step up for Greenlanders in some ways. Why is it important to do that? When you know that actions like that could set off the U.S. President and his administration. Yeah, and the opening of a consulate in Newk had been a major priority that was articulated in the Arctic foreign policy, which was released in 2024.

And so leading up to that point, we had originally planned to open the presence in November 2025, but Mother Nature had other ideas, and it was impossible. logistically, we had to push this out, and it so happened to happen and take place in that moment in time where there were heightened tensions and a lot of attention on the statements that were coming out from the President of the United States. And so timing-wise, I think it happened to work out in a way that enabled Canada to demonstrate what it had committed to in terms of prioritizing relationships and recognizing that in Newt, in Canada and Inuit and Greenland have a long history, familial ties, cultural ties. And this was a way in which we could expand our diplomatic presence,

but also recognized through that that there was also a very strong tie that pre-existed, this formal engagement and formal exercise of opening a consulate. Do you think we need as, do we have a responsibility to stand up for Greenlanders in the face of those sorts of threats? I believe so. They, I genuinely believe that they would stand up for Inuit in Canada as well. They have in the past. And this is a recognition of the deep ties that Canada has also with the kingdom of Denmark. and it is maybe we're getting into the deeper layers of that relationship

and really putting an emphasis on the relationship with Greenland and Canada's Arctic as well. Just finally, you said that taking this roll on was humbling, but you also admitted that it comes with a significant weight on your shoulders. You're working with this huge range of people, with different expectations, and at a time when, as I say, there is real opportunity, but also concerns about who that opportunity is going to benefit the most. What is success in this role going to look like to you? If I'm able to enable more of our community members

to have the space to speak for themselves, to share their perspectives, to share their successes and capabilities. I think that would be incredible achievement for me personally and professionally, but also being able to hopefully help strengthen the relationships with our communities and the rest of Canada. And then also in international, conversations to be able to share the space with my fellow community members to

to be able to demonstrate what it means to be an Arctic resident in Canada and what it means to have our families raised here, our cultures to be protected and practiced is going to be really important and really demonstrate the evolution of our country in respecting the Canadian Arctic region. A weight can be something that presses down on you, that can be a burden, but it can also be something that's really invigorating. How do you see that weight? That's a lot of responsibility. It is an incredible amount of responsibility right now. It's a really exciting moment and time to be in this position.

I feel like I'm back in school and learning a lot, which is really exciting for me personally to be given this opportunity to have. the type of exposure that I have to other regions within Canada's Arctic, but also to be able to engage with other circumpolar peoples to gain their perspectives and talk about, okay, what are similar experiences, where do the differences lie, why are there differences? And then also to have that dialogue of where do we want to be in the future, what do we want to leave behind for our children and grandchildren? This is important work.

And I'm glad to have the chance to speak with you. I hope we have the opportunity to speak again. In the meantime, Virginia Merns. Thank you very much. Thank you so much. Virginia Merns, is Canada's Arctic ambassador. She was in our studio in Echalwood. You've been listening to the current podcast.

My name is Matt Galloway. Thanks for listening. I'll talk to you soon. For more CBC podcasts, go to cbc.ca.