Dr. Jackie Dawson accompanies the Governor General of Canada on a State Visit to Finland 

ArcticNet’s Scientific Director, Dr. Jackie Dawson, accompanied Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada as a delegate during the State Visit to Finland. During the visit, discussions surrounded Arctic-related issues such as Indigenous culture, education, distance learning, and climate change.  

A main goal of the visit was to illustrate Canada’s commitment to work with Finland, Arctic allies and people of the Arctic, to create a more sustainable, stable and prosperous Arctic, a goal that Dr. Dawson and ArcticNet share alike. 

The University of Lapland in collaboration with the Arctic Centre hosted a panel on the Impact of Climate Change on the Arctic, following remarks on the topic from the Governor General. Dr. Dawson spoke on the opening of the Northwest passageway and other shipping routes, the necessary collaboration between western science and traditional Indigenous knowledge, security challenges, Canada’s relationship with other Arctic nations including Finland, the importance of youth involvement in climate action, and, of course, the direct and obvious impact of climate change on the Arctic.