Four Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) from the Northwest Territories are embarking on a visit to Taiwan this week to engage in discussions regarding shared interests between the two regions. Jane Weyallon Armstrong, Robert Hawkins, Richard Edjericon, and Shane Thompson are set to spend six days in Taiwan, commencing this Friday.
The scheduled activities include meetings with government officials, business leaders, and Indigenous organizations to address various topics such as economic development, trade, tourism, Indigenous relations, clean energy, critical minerals, and innovation. This initiative was announced by the legislative assembly on Tuesday.
Thompson, representing Nahendeh, mentioned that the idea for this trip was initially broached three years ago during discussions with the Taiwan government in Vancouver back in 2023. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver extended an invitation to all 12 regular MLAs from the Northwest Territories, offering a total of six spots for the visit.
Notably, the Taiwanese government is covering the expenses for the trip, ensuring there is no financial burden on taxpayers. Transparency measures have been taken, with the trip having been disclosed to the integrity commissioner of the Northwest Territories.
Thompson emphasized the significance of this visit as an opportunity to understand Taiwan’s relationship with its Indigenous population and to showcase the tourism potential of the Northwest Territories. Edjericon, representing Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh, expressed his focus on promoting tourism, critical minerals, Indigenous relationships, and enhancing the ties between the two democracies.
While some MLAs cited prior commitments for their inability to participate in the trip, others like Shauna Morgan and Julian Morse expressed reservations about the relevance of the visit to their constituency work, particularly concerning geopolitical tensions in the region involving China.
Thompson clarified that the MLAs are traveling independently to strengthen the relationship between the Northwest Territories and Taiwan and are not representing the federal government’s interests.
The visit to Taiwan follows Conservative MP Michael Chong’s trip to Taiwan in May, which was seen as a move to assert Canada’s sovereignty and defy warnings from the Chinese government. According to Scott Simon, co-chair of Taiwan studies at the University of Ottawa, the trip aligns with Canada’s stance of neither endorsing nor challenging China’s claim over Taiwan, emphasizing the importance of Canada’s strategic autonomy in international relations.