Serious investments needed for Canada to defend against Arctic threats

When Canadians say “the True North strong and free,” so many of us believe in what that phrase means, but not necessarily what it takes to keep it that way—and one could argue consecutive federal governments have also forgotten to act to keep it that way. As we think about NORAD modernization, we need to ensure that any spending and policy in the area protects Arctic sovereignty and national security, while also serving northern development. To frame these investments, we need to differentiate between threats through, to, and in the Arctic region. And as part of that process, we need to make sure we’re investing in needed infrastructure and in creating jobs in the area to support these goals. Recent conversations about Canadian military policy have been dominated by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and growing concerns about the economic appeal of the Arctic to China. New Democrats understand entirely the weight of this situation—my colleague, NDP MP Heather McPherson, moved a motion in the House of Commons in April to recognize the Russian aggression in Ukraine as an act of genocide, and our entire caucus has been pushing this government to do more to support Ukrainian refugees. But alongside increasing supports for Ukraine in this critical moment, we have seen certain Members of Parliament calling for a drastic militarization of our Arctic region to prepare for potential “threats” through the Arctic region. We have seen calls for Canada’s participation in American anti-missile defence systems. We have heard escalating language about an existential threat to Canadian security posed by the Russian military’s Arctic presence, despite a consensus among experts that we do not face an immediate threat of invasion. There is, however, an existential threat to Canada’s Arctic that requires immediate investments. The most pressing threat in the Arctic region is climate change. The Arctic region is warming at up to seven times the speed as the rest of the world. The United Nations estimates that by 2050 up to 70 per cent of Arctic infrastructure will be at risk from loss of permafrost. This is not only a major threat to our military presence in the Arctic, but also an existential threat to Inuit and northern Canadians. A history of neglect by consecutive federal governments have left northern communities unequipped for the impacts of climate change. Last month, Iqaluit barely averted a water-shortage crisis for the winter. The Apex River was at a 40-year low, causing a deficit of more than 500-million litres of water in Lake Geraldine this year. We know that climate change means these crises will be happening at increasing pace and represents the largest threat to the Canadian Arctic. Without real steps taken to prepare northern communities for the impact of climate change, Canada’s arctic sovereignty is at risk. Last month, my colleague, Nunavut MP Lori Idlout, called out the Liberal government, saying “they need to do better for Arctic sovereignty, not just by providing military resources, but actually investing in the people and the resources that are needed to keep a community going.” With climate change, we also face an increase of concerns in the Arctic region. Melting ice is opening up the region as an increasing hub for economic activity. New sea lanes through the Arctic could cut two weeks off travel from Asian to European markets, and the rapidly changing ecosystem will bring major shifts in fish populations. Rapid climate change is also increasing the viability of accessing the Arctic’s massive oil reserves, natural gas, and precious minerals. In the short term, this could pose major risks to Canadian sovereignty. We have already seen the number of voyages in Canadian Arctic waters triple in the last three decades. On Nov. 15, the federal auditor general reported that Canada is woefully unprepared for the domain awareness, enforcement, and search-and-rescue challenges we currently face, let alone future increases. The auditor general noted that misguided, uneven investments in the region by Liberal and Conservative governments alike have left us with a growing risk of Arctic infrastructure retiring before replacements are provided. This poses a major risk to the sovereignty of Canada’s Arctic, when climate change exacerbates friction among countries vying to benefit from the Arctic's natural resources. The Canadian Arctic needs serious, immediate investments to defend against Arctic threats. While the Liberals and Conservatives escalate rhetoric on the militarization of the North, New Democrats understand we need to synchronize geopolitics with geophysics. While we support modernization of NORAD, we cannot afford misguided sabre-rattling investments that focus on threats through the Arctic while we face existential threats to and in the Canadian Arctic. New Democrats call on this government to use funding allocated for NORAD modernization to create good-paying jobs that will defend Arctic security. By investing in northern jobs and infrastructure, we can fight climate change, end the water crisis, and bring smart solutions to domain awareness. Lindsay Mathyssen is an NDP MP who has represented the riding of London-Fanshawe, Ont., since 2019. She is the NDP's critic for national defence. The Hill Times