Northern Development, Northern Security, by Nils Orvik

This book. which is a compilation of essays. addresses the problems of northern development and the challenge confronting the people of the Canadian north in that respect. The basic assumption is that this development takes place within a “power triangle” where the federal government holds one corner, the developers (private corporations, investors. and industrialists) another. and those representing regional and local institutions a third. The hypothesis formulated is that the hunt for northern resources is equally important for all three groups and that none of them can hope for complete fulfillment of their goals and aspirations; it is the belief of the author that. due to the built-in checks and balances of the Canadian political system, the outcome is bound t o be a compromise which, it is hoped, will give each actor enough incentive to stay in the game and to play it by the rules. There can be no doubt that the power triangle will have a big say in influencing the course of developments in the north. Depending on time and circumstances the power base of the three actors may vary, but they are equal in the sense that they depend on each other and are directly involved and-affected by the process. They are the main players. However. general experience and arctic developments in particular seem to suggest that two more corners should be added and the triangle converted into a “power pentagon”. It is a common experience that the interests of other countries may influence, delay. or even hamper national aspirations and plans. This is so because the mutual interdependence o f the world is on the increase, and the national community and the outside world reveal more and more points of contact. Problems are internationalized; increasingly the actions of one nation are the concern of others. Domestic policy has become more of an integral part of foreign policy and vice versa. The Arctic Pilot Project and the reactions it has caused in Nuuk and Copenhagen is but one example. The Manhutrun incident is another. Seen in this perspective, the fourth corner belongs to what could be labelled foreign actors. meaning both other countries and international organisations. The fifth corner is held by opinion makers and what we could call activist organisations. These are interest groups acting on behalf of others, be it aboriginal people, animals, environment, or whatever. They are not themselves directly affected by what is going on, but want to preserve values of different kinds by invoking public conscience. Presently, these actors are not very active or vocal in arctic affairs, but it may prove a good bet to count them in if and when the development in the area “takes off”. This line of reasoning points to the conclusion that the fate of the north most likely will be decided by and formed within the framework of an interacting “power pentagon” rather than within a power triangle. Professor Orvik is right, however, in pointing out that the momentum in this process is being maintained and preserved by a national “power triangle”. An interesting fact about the book is that the hypothesis for the moment is untestable the reason being that it projects an outcome of a process in its very being. Only the future will tell if the “power geometry” of the north will result in a compromise with “equitablesharing of risks and costs as well as of gains and profits” among the actors involved. The book is written at the intersection between a scientific analysis and a political engagement. The author tries both to clarify and to influence, to promote knowledge and insight and to form and shape politics. Given this mixed purpose, it is a major strength that most essays are factual and oriented towards the problems of the present and the immediate future. Statements are also well documented and the overall impression is that the author has succeeded in presenting a balanced account of some of the most vital problems facing northern Canada today and tomorrow. He should be credited for not throwing politically “hot potatoes” away, but trying to peel them irrespective of possible burning effects. I feel confident that he will find interested readers in both academic and political circles. REVIEWS