Premier Sandy Silver met with several government, business and civic leaders in Reykjavik, Iceland this week to discuss Arctic sovereignty and the importance of increased cooperation and collaboration throughout the circumpolar North. The meetings took place as Canada celebrates 75 years of diplomatic relations with Iceland and built on discussions held when the Nordic ambassadors visited Whitehorse during the Arctic Arts Summit in June.
Premier Silver met with Canada’s Ambassador to Iceland Jeanette Menzies to discuss tourism, innovation and opportunities for increasing connections across the circumpolar North. The Canadian Embassy in Iceland hosted Premier Silver and number of leaders, including:
- Bogi Nils Bogason, CEO of Icelandair;
- Jon Sigfusson, Chairman of the Board of Planet Youth;
- Bala Kamallakharan, founder of Startup Iceland;
- Asthildur Sturludottir, Mayor of Akureyi; and
- Heidi Kutz, Canada’s senior Arctic official.
Productive discussions covered a range of issues from Arctic sovereignty, geothermal energy, entrepreneurship and the tech and innovation sectors to education, youth mental health and tourism.
Premier Silver also met with the CEO of Business Iceland to discuss renewable energy, carbon capture technology, innovation, tourism and economic development, as well as EFLA, an Icelandic engineering and consulting company, to discuss port infrastructure in the North.
The Yukon and Iceland have a lot in common, from our focus on addressing climate change and increasing green energy to our strong international reputations as tourist destinations. We have much to learn from our Icelandic friends and their rich history of innovation and resiliency. I want to thank the Canadian and Icelandic Embassies for facilitating our visit. Strengthening pan-Arctic connections across borders is important for building resilient northern communities and ensuring a safe, secure and sovereign North. I look forward to more cooperation with our Icelandic and European colleagues.
Premier Sandy Silver
2022 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and Iceland, and 20 years since the opening of Canada’s Embassy in Iceland.
The Icelandic Ambassador to Canada Hlynur Guðjónsson and Minister for Culture and Business Affairs Lilja Alfreðsdóttir were in Whitehorse for the Arctic Arts Summit in June 2022.
The Government of Yukon is currently implementing the recommendations of the Putting People First Report, which includes adopting a universal approach to mental health and substance use prevention for children and youth in the Yukon that builds on the success of the Planet Youth model.
Renée Francoeur
Cabinet Communications
867-334-9194
renee.francoeur@yukon.ca
Eilidh Fraser
Communications, Executive Council Office
eilidh.fraser@yukon.ca