Key Takeaways
- Canada is increasing its focus on Arctic defence and sovereignty due to an increasingly aggressive Russia and China’s growing influence.
- The country aims to assert control over its remote northern geography through increased surveillance and military assets.
- Defending Canada’s Arctic includes paying attention to "information" warfare, where hostile countries spread narratives or misinformation to divide Canadians or Canada from its allies.
- The Canadian government needs to improve its defences in the North, particularly through large-scale military procurement, to counter potential threats from countries like China and Russia.
- The country’s Arctic defence leans heavily on the military might of the United States, which has a significant number of military assets based in Alaska.
Introduction to Arctic Defence
An increasingly aggressive Russia coupled with China’s growing influence have renewed Canada’s focus on Arctic defence and sovereignty. The country aims to assert control over its remote northern geography through increased surveillance and military assets. The conversation is being driven by the climate crisis, which is opening up new areas of the Arctic for resource extraction and shipping lanes. This has expanded beyond Canada, asserting its sovereignty to both defence and national security concerns. Ensuring adversaries think twice before operating in the region is preferable to having to defend it, according to retired Maj.-Gen. Denis Thompson.
The Importance of Surveillance and Deterrence
According to Thompson, having credible assets at hand, not necessarily based in the Arctic, but able to operate out of the Arctic, is crucial for deterrence. This can include aircraft, ships, submarines, and a limited army capability, as well as surveillance from the seabed to space. The Canadian government has included a $1 billion, four-year fund in the recent budget to improve "dual-use" infrastructure projects for both civilians and the military, such as airports, seaports, and all-season roads. This investment will help to enhance the country’s surveillance and deterrence capabilities in the Arctic.
Arctic Intelligence and Counter-Espionage
The discussion around Arctic intelligence and counter-espionage has become more prominent in recent years. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) Director Daniel Rogers said the agency is aware of both cybersecurity and traditional espionage threats targeting governments and the private sector operating in Canada’s Arctic. Rogers noted that non-Arctic states, including China, seek to gain a strategic and economic foothold in the region, while Russia remains unpredictable and aggressive. The agency is working to counter these threats and protect Canada’s interests in the Arctic.
Information Warfare and Division
Defending Canada’s Arctic includes paying attention to "information" warfare, where hostile countries spread narratives or misinformation aimed at dividing Canadians or Canada from its allies. According to University of Calgary Prof. Rob Huebert, there are three levels to this "battle" in the North: creating distrust among elements of Canadian society, dividing "political elites" from each other, and dividing Canada from the United States. Huebert noted that countries hostile to Canada have an advantage in this type of warfare, particularly with the current U.S. administration. The fact that U.S. President Donald Trump’s new national security strategy views itself as having a free hand to act militarily in the Western hemisphere is unlikely to diminish concerns about the U.S. being a threat to Canada.
The Role of the United States in Arctic Defence
For Thompson, it is simply a fact that Canada’s Arctic defence leans heavily on the military might of the United States, which has an "eye-watering" number of military assets based in Alaska. The U.S. has a significant interest in ensuring no hostile powers gain a foothold in what Thompson calls the "gateway to the south" of North America. This is not a new development, as the Arctic has been an important region for the U.S. and Canada during the Cold War. The U.S. and Canada have a long history of cooperation in the Arctic, and this partnership is crucial for defending the region against potential threats.
The Need for Urgency in Improving Defences
Huebert counselled urgency for the Canadian government to improve its defences in the North, particularly because large-scale military procurement takes a long time between an announcement and the assets being put in service. Canada finally deciding to buy the F-35 fighter jets would be a good start, Huebert suggested. The most "chilling" aspect of Arctic defence for Huebert is that Canada doesn’t have much time to prepare for potential threats. The country’s adversaries are not going to wait until 2035-2040 to threaten Canada directly, and the government needs to take action now to improve its defences in the North.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Canada’s Arctic defence and sovereignty are critical issues that require immediate attention from the government. The country needs to improve its surveillance and deterrence capabilities, counter "information" warfare, and enhance its military presence in the North. The partnership with the United States is crucial for defending the region, but Canada also needs to take a more proactive approach to protecting its interests in the Arctic. The government needs to invest in large-scale military procurement and improve its defences in the North to counter potential threats from countries like China and Russia. The clock is ticking, and Canada doesn’t have much time to prepare for the challenges that lie ahead in the Arctic.