Pierre Polievre wants a Churchill base, but experts debate northern Manitoba town's military capacity

Party leader Pierre Poilievre says a Conservative government would build a base in Churchill to strengthen Canada's defence systems — but two defence experts say the northern Manitoba town presents challenges as a military location.

"I really worry about politicians deciding that we have a 'new priority' that's going to derail other ones which were threat-informed, agreed upon with allies and that people are depending on," said Andrea Charron, the director of the Centre for Defence and Security Studies at the University of Manitoba.

"Now is not the time to switch focus, when we have a detailed plan in place." 

During a speech to Conservative delegates at the party's convention in Calgary on Friday, Polievre said Canada must be a country that protects itself without depending on foreign powers, like the U.S.

To achieve that goal, Poilievre — who pulled in an overwhelming share of the vote in his leadership review— said his government would cut back bureaucracy to see defence spending "actually hit the front lines" and "reassert Arctic sovereignty." 

"We will take back control of our North and ensure no foreign power ever threatens our territory," Poilievre said during his speech. 

"We will open new bases in Iqaluit, Churchill, Inuvik. Four rather than two icebreakers will break open that ice and open new passageways for Canadians."

Alex Rogers, a Conservative delegate for Manitoba's federal riding of Provencher, told Radio-Canada a military base in Churchill would be an asset to increase the Canadian Armed Forces' monitoring capabilities in the North. 

It could also be an opportunity to invest in the redevelopment of the Port of Churchill, Rogers said.

Winnipeg-South Conservative delegate Sean Kopytko agrees with that idea. 

"Churchill is the gateway to the Hudson's Bay. One day we can start shipping stuff from … [Churchill] to Europe. I think it'd be important to have some kind of military presence in Churchill," Kopytko said. 

"I think it is strategically important … to defend it, should anything happen."

The federal Conservatives have talked about building Churchill's military capacity in the past. During last year's federal election campaign, the party said it would create a new arctic naval base in the town of about 900 people roughly 1,000 kilometres north of Winnipeg, if elected.

At the moment, there are eight staffed military sites in Canada’s Arctic, the largest of which is in Yellowknife. There are also facilities in Whitehorse, Iqaluit, Inuvik and a few other communities.