Hon. Larry W. Smith: Honourable senators, just before the break I had the privilege and honour of visiting Iqaluit with my colleagues Senator Downe and Senator Black. In addition to attending National Day for Truth and Reconciliation marches, we met with community members, elders and business leaders and took part in the Arctic Sovereignty and Security Summit organized graciously by Senator Patterson. The only thing more inspiring than the rugged beauty of the vast tundra was the passion, determination and pride of the Inuit people themselves.

In particular, I would like to highlight the work of Kirt Ejesiak, who operates Arctic UAV, a 100% Indigenous-owned business specializing in aerial photography, video surveillance and data mapping using remotely piloted aircraft systems.

Located on the shores of Baffin Bay inside a former Hudson’s Bay trading post, we were in awe of the equipment Kirt and his team had invested in and were testing and operating in the harsh and often unforgiving northern climate. This included using drone technology to map major mine sites, study the effects of shipping on marine migration and detect thermal hot spots at waste sites, just to name a few.

Like many young Inuit leaders, Kirt’s knowledge of the land on which he grew up, coupled with his desire for creating a better Nunavut, was evident in our discussions with him. Kirt was bursting with ideas and practical solutions to many challenges facing communities in Nunavut by underscoring that policies for the North must be developed in the North and by the North.

As an example, Kirt and his team have proven to be nimble, retaining the expertise needed to respond to the issue of Arctic surveillance, a critical area of focus for policy-makers today.

Honourable senators, please join me in recognizing Kirt and Arctic UAV for the extraordinary work they do in Nunavut and across the North.

Thank you.