Arctic foreign policy says new envoy, consulates will help boost security
Global News
The new policy sets out plans for increased engagement with Arctic allies, strengthening research security, and improved information sharing with local and Indigenous governments.
Canada will appoint a new Arctic ambassador and set up two new diplomatic missions in Alaska and Greenland to boost its presence in the North as its seeks to increase its security posture against foreign threats and climate change, the government announced Friday.
The new Arctic foreign policy also sets out plans for increased engagement with the United States and Nordic nations like Sweden and Finland, strengthening research security, and improved information sharing with local and Indigenous governments on developing security threats, including foreign interference.
The policy is part of the government’s renewed focus on Arctic security, as actors like Russia and China further encroach on Canada’s sovereignty, and the North is increasingly identified as a potential security vulnerability.
A senior government official told reporters Thursday that the policy seeks to ensure Canada’s foreign policy complements its defence strategies in the Arctic.
“The two need to work hand-in-hand,” the official said.
The federal government is committing $34.7 million up front and $7 million ongoing over a total five years to the policy.
It includes no new defence spending in the Arctic, but points to recent Arctic security investments outlined in the defence policy update and commitments to NORAD modernization, which amount to tens of billions of dollars over the next decade.
Canada’s North has long been coveted by foreign nations for its abundant resources and potential new commercial shipping routes.
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