Arctic security is under renewed focus as Russia and China eye the region, but leaders in the North say Canada wonSA国际影视传媒檛 be able to exert sovereignty if their communities arenSA国际影视传媒檛 built up properly.

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

Northwest Territories Premier Caroline Cochrane said in an interview that while policymakers have increased talks of building up the North, few concrete plans for key infrastructure such as hospitals, telecommunications, airports and road systems have emerged.

Without those plans and proper funding, Cochrane said it would be difficult for the federal government to achieve its goal of stronger Arctic security.

SA国际影视传媒淲ithout all-season roads, people donSA国际影视传媒檛 have access to labour markets and cost-effective food,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淵ou need communications so that when you send up whatever theySA国际影视传媒檙e going to do to secure the Arctic, you have the infrastructure to communicate.SA国际影视传媒�

She added that SA国际影视传媒渆verything starts with health care SA国际影视传媒� I hope no one gets really sick because our capacity is very limited.SA国际影视传媒�

In June, the Senate released a report that said SA国际影视传媒渕ore must be doneSA国际影视传媒� by the federal government in the North given SA国际影视传媒渁n ever-changing geopolitical context, rising interest and activity in the Arctic,SA国际影视传媒� as well as climate change.

Meanwhile, the United States last year updated its Arctic strategy in light of RussiaSA国际影视传媒檚 invasion of Ukraine, a plan that included increased U.S. military presence in the Far North.

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

Chinese ambitions

China has called for the development of a SA国际影视传媒淧olar Silk RoadSA国际影视传媒� as part of an initiative to take advantage of possible trade routes opening in the Arctic due to climate change.

In February, an apparent Chinese spy balloon drifted through Canadian and U.S. airspace before being downed by a U.S. jet, while another object of unconfirmed origin was also spotted over central Yukon around the same time.

Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai said in an interview that event was a turning point in the conversation about building out the North, with many policymakers re-engaging the territories about infrastructure development.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen the world really focused on what was happening in the Yukon, when you had all those media outlets come and you had the federal government on site, I think that was a chance for people to really see where the gaps are in place. And then it led to a bigger conversation.SA国际影视传媒�

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

SA国际影视传媒淲hen you take in consideration how long it takes in our country to build a very substantial project like a port in Nunavut or a port in the Northwest Territories or the Yukon, and you think about all the steps it has to take and the time SA国际影视传媒� weSA国际影视传媒檙e behind already,SA国际影视传媒� Pillai said separately at last weekSA国际影视传媒檚 recent Western PremiersSA国际影视传媒� Conference in Whistler, B.C.

For University of Calgary Research Associate and Canadian Northern Corridor Program researcher Katharina Koch, Cochrane and PillaiSA国际影视传媒檚 criticisms of OttawaSA国际影视传媒檚 handling of building up the North is neither surprising nor unwarranted.

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

SA国际影视传媒淭his topic of security and safeguarding CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 sovereignty, it ties into so many different other issues,SA国际影视传媒� Koch said. SA国际影视传媒淥ne element or aspect to start with is actually to make sure that Northern residents have access to basic services. It means education, health care and clean drinking water.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭his will ultimately support CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 goal of establishing security and projecting outward Canadian sovereignty in terms of the Arctic.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒楧igital divideSA国际影视传媒�

Improvement to broadband internet access is desperately needed, said Koch. She said the SA国际影视传媒渄igital divideSA国际影视传媒� severely limits growth potential and economic viability in the North.

There has been movement on those fronts.

Construction of the Dempster Fibre Line, an 800-kilometre fibre-optic cable, is underway in Yukon and Northwest Territories. Federal Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal meanwhile announced last November $7 million in support for the construction of the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link, a multi-purpose connection to deliver renewable energy and high-speed internet to communities in Nunavut through Manitoba.

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

SA国际影视传媒淚 think the conversation has shifted, but we havenSA国际影视传媒檛 yet seen any investment of that to the magnitude that we need to see from the lens of nation-building,SA国际影视传媒� he said at the Western PremiersSA国际影视传媒� Conference.

Cochrane said a key missing link is local engagement, with Ottawa often not knowing what Northern communities need, and not consulting residents to find out.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e seen too many people come from the south and come up to the North and think they know what theySA国际影视传媒檙e getting into SA国际影视传媒� and come out with frostbite, vehicles sunk in the ice, being lost, having to get rescued,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淪o I think the big thing is that, if we are talking about Arctic safety and Arctic sovereignty, itSA国际影视传媒檚 important that Canada talk with us SA国际影视传媒� that they actually consult with us, not just listen, but actually hear us.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒擝y Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press