MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Canada reaffirms Arctic presence mapping resources

A major initiative that involves mapping out the geological resources in Canada's Arctic was announced with great media display this week in Ottawa. Prime Minister Stephen Harper said state-of-the-art geological science and technology will be used to map the energy and mineral potential of the North.

"Researchers on the ground and aboard aircraft fitted with specialized sensors will gather data on the geological characteristics of all of our northern territories," he said during a press conference in Ottawa. "This information will be used to create geological models of the Arctic... that will help future resource producers find the treasures buried there." Harper said it is estimated that a quarter of the world's oil and gas lies beneath the Arctic. "Managed properly, Canada's share of this incredible endowment will fuel the prosperity of our country for generations," he said. Harper added geo-mapping will help pave the way for the resource development of the future. "It will also help us anticipate the infrastructure needs of the North to ensure that the communities that grow alongside industry are healthy and stable," said Harper. "And it will help us plan policies that do a better job of balancing economic development and environmental protection." The initiative involves a 100 million Canadian dollars commitment over five years. Following the announcement PM Harper left for a three-day visit to the North. His trip will take him from the heart of the Arctic's energy industry to Tuktoyaktuk on the Mackenzie Delta to the historic gold rush town of Dawson in the Yukon. On Monday, the Canadian military kicked off a series of training exercises in the Arctic to prepare for situations that may arise as a result of increased traffic in the region.