Recommendations of the Arctic Council Panel

We conclude this report with a summary of key points in the form of recommendations. They are made to the Government of Canada and to Canada's aboriginal peoples.

Recommendations to the Canadian Government

1. that it seek direct, full, and meaningful representation by arctic aboriginal peoples in the work of an international Arctic Council and in the negotiations that bring it into being;

2. that it seek an Arctic Council whose agenda is determined by consensus and without prohibition of any matter judged to be of international arctic significance;

3. that, without delay, it consult with aboriginal peoples in forming the Canadian negotiating position;

4. that beginning at the Rovaniemi ministerial meeting of June 1991, it seek the convocation of a plenary preparatory conference, with direct aboriginal and other northern participation, to establish an Arctic Council;

5. that it consider seeking an Arctic Council comprised of ten delegations representing the arctic states, aboriginal peoples, and territorial governments, the decisions of which are to be made by consensus;

6. that it pursue an approach to negotiations for the establishment of an Arctic Council relying upon basic principles;

7. that, whatever the structure and processes decided upon for a Council, Canada strive for acceptance of the principle that, on matters affecting their fundamental interests or continued existence, arctic indigenous peoples have human and aboriginal rights to participate as full and equal parties in an Arctic Council.

Recommendations to Aboriginal Peoples

That active support be given to the Government of Canada in its Arctic Council initiative conditional upon the governments

1. consulting promptly and actively with aboriginal peoples, and funding their participation in the consultative process as it would in granting intervenor status on domestic matters;

2. including aboriginal representatives in all Canadian delegations leading up to the establishment of the Council, with aboriginal peoples designating their own representatives;

3. seeking an Arctic Council that accords special recognition, status, and powers to indigenous arctic peoples on matters of fundamental interest or existential importance to them;

4. seeking an Arctic Council that includes on its agenda the human and other rights of indigenous arctic peoples, including their right to self-determination;

5. seeking the establishment of an Arctic Council that provides for comprehensive consensual co-operation on all matters through a flexible mandate and an open agenda.

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