Northern premiers say Canada can't have Arctic security without infrastructure

Arctic security is under renewed focus as Russia and China eyethe region, but leaders in the North say Canada won't be able toexert sovereignty if their communities aren't built up properly.

The premiers from all three Northern territories say the federalgovernment, while mindful of the need to strengthen Arctic security,has lacked a cohesive infrastructure plan to construct thefoundation required to reach that goal.

Northwest Territories Premier Caroline Cochrane said in aninterview that while policymakers have increased talks of buildingup the North, few concrete plans for key infrastructure such ashospitals, telecommunications, airports and road systems haveemerged.

Without those plans and proper funding, Cochrane said it would bedifficult for the federal government to achieve its goal of strongerArctic security.

"Without all-season roads, people don't have access to labourmarkets and cost-effective food," she said. "You need communications so that when you send up whatever they're going to doto secure the Arctic, you have the infrastructure to communicate."

She added that "everything starts with health care. I hope noone gets really sick because our capacity is very limited."

In June, the Senate released a report that said "more must bedone" by the federal government in the North given "an ever-changing geopolitical context, rising interest and activity inthe Arctic," as well as climate change.

Meanwhile, the United States last year updated its Arcticstrategy in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a plan thatincluded increased U.S. military presence in the Far North.

A balloon as 'a turning point'

Even before its war with Ukraine, Russia put forward an ambitiousprogram to reaffirm its presence and stake its claim in the Arctic,including efforts to build ports and other infrastructure, andexpand its icebreaker fleet.

Meanwhile, China has called for the development of a "Polar SilkRoad" as part of an initiative to take advantage of possible traderoutes opening in the Arctic due to climate change.

In February, an apparent Chinese spy balloon drifted throughCanadian and U.S. airspace before being downed by a U.S. jet, whileanother object of unconfirmed origin was also spotted over centralYukon around the same time.

Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai said in an interview that event was aturning point in the conversation about building out the North, withmany policymakers re-engaging the territories about infrastructuredevelopment.

"When the world really focused on what was happening in theYukon, when you had all those media outlets come and you had thefederal government on site, I think that was a chance for people toreally see where the gaps are in place. And then it led to a biggerconversation."

But given the urgency of the need for housing and otherfundamentals, Pillai said the federal government needs to move
faster.

"When you take in consideration how long it takes in our countryto build a very substantial project like a port in Nunavut or a portin the Northwest Territories or the Yukon, and you think about allthe steps it has to take and the timewe're behind already,"Pillai said separately at last week's recent Western Premiers'Conference in Whistler, B.C.

For University of Calgary Research Associate and CanadianNorthern Corridor Program researcher Katharina Koch, Cochrane andPillai's criticisms of Ottawa's handling of building up the North isneither surprising nor unwarranted.

Koch said the criticisms echoed what many Northern communityresidents have told her, and Canada has a distinct lack of anintegrated Arctic strategy compared with other G7 nations.

"This topic of security and safeguarding Canada's sovereignty,it ties into so many different other issues," Koch said. "Oneelement or aspect to start with is actually to make sure thatNorthern residents have access to basic services. It meanseducation, health care and clean drinking water."

"This will ultimately support Canada's goal of establishingsecurity and projecting outward Canadian sovereignty in terms of theArctic."

Improvement to broadband internet access is desperately needed,said Koch. She said the "digital divide" severely limits growthpotential and economic viability in the North.

'Conversation has shifted'

There has been movement on those fronts.

Construction of the Dempster Fibre Line, an 800-kilometrefibre-optic cable, is underway in Yukon and Northwest Territories.Federal Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal meanwhile announcedlast November $7 million in support for the construction of theKivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link, a multi-purpose connection to deliverrenewable energy and high-speed internet to communities in Nunavutthrough Manitoba.

Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok said the project represents welcomeprogress, but additional investment is still needed to addressenergy security and climate change in the Arctic.

"I think the conversation has shifted, but we haven't yet seenany investment of that to the magnitude that we need to see from thelens of nation-building," he said at the Western Premiers'Conference.

Cochrane said a key missing link is local engagement, with Ottawaoften not knowing what Northern communities need, and not consultingresidents to find out.

"I've seen too many people come from the south and come up tothe north and think they know what they're getting into and comeout with frostbite, vehicles sunk in the ice, being lost, having toget rescued," she said.

"So I think the big thing is that, if we are talking aboutArctic safety and Arctic sovereignty, it's important that Canada talk with us that they actually consult with us, not just listen,but actually hear us."