Canada must enhance its Arctic military presence urgently

Canada has been urged to strengthen its presence in the Arctic due to growing territorial claims from other countries. Prime Minister Stephen Harper emphasized in 2007 that Canada needed to assert its sovereignty over the region, stating, "We either use it or lose it." Plans to build deepwater ports and operate a fleet of Arctic patrol ships were proposed but have not been realized. Currently, Canada lacks a deepwater Arctic port, and its naval presence is limited to summer visits. In contrast, Russia has developed a large Arctic fleet with numerous icebreakers, while China is claiming a role as a "near-Arctic state" with its own icebreakers. The U.S. is also ramping up its capabilities, with President Trump promising to build significant numbers of icebreakers. A report from Canada's Auditor General in 2022 highlighted serious shortcomings in Arctic surveillance and infrastructure. With ongoing warming making resources more accessible, competition for territorial claims is intensifying among Russia, China, and the U.S. Concerns are also rising about the Inuit's aspirations for sovereignty in the region, which could further complicate Canada's claim. Canada is part of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which supports its claims, but the U.S. does not recognize the treaty, and Russia has hinted it might withdraw. As global interest in the Arctic grows, experts warn that conflict over these resources may become inevitable without stronger Canadian action. With other nations and groups poised to assert their interests, the call for Canada to strengthen its Arctic capabilities has never been more urgent.