“Canada is an Arctic country at a pivotal moment,” says Foreign Minister
The Arctic is becoming an increasingly contested area, Canada’s Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly told a Montreal audience on Friday, pointing to growing competition among global powers and the need for Canada to bolster its sovereignty and alliances in the region.
“Canada is an Arctic country at a pivotal moment,” Joly said in a French-language speech to the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations.
“The Arctic is no longer an area of low tension. We live in a difficult world and our response is going to be much more firm.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, combined with growing global interest in the region, and increased accessibility due to climate change, has shifted the Arctic to the center of geopolitical competition, meaning it can no longer be business as usual in the North for Canada, she added.
Hybrid threats and foreign companies seeking to establish a presence in the North to influence Arctic communities are just a few examples of the new challenges Canada is facing, she said.
“The rules put in place since the end of World War II, which helped prevent conflicts in the region, are increasingly being tested,” Joly said.
The foreign minister’s comments came a week after Ottawa released its Arctic foreign policy on Dec. 6.
In it, the document focused on strengthening ties with regional partners, including Nordic nations and North Pacific states. Key initiatives also included the appointment of an Arctic ambassador to enhance diplomatic presence and the opening of new consulates in Nuuk, Greenland, and Anchorage, Alaska.
The policy also emphasizes the importance of collaborating with Indigenous and northern communities, ensuring their involvement in governance and decision-making processes affecting the Arctic. While on security, the plan outlines increased cooperation with like-minded countries to address emerging threats such as foreign interference and cyberattacks, as well as improved focus on information-sharing.
The minister highlighted Canada’s growing collaboration with allies through initiatives like the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE Pact) with the U.S. and Finland, as just one example of this as Canada prepares for emerging challenges.
Joly also sought to downplay tensions between Ottawa and Washington that emerged in November, when President-elect Donald Trump threatened a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods unless Canada did more to secure its border with the U.S.
“For us, the relationship with the United States is crucial,” Joly said, adding that the Arctic was a key topic during Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s November meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, where the two discussed continuing the ICE Pact under the new administration and placing greater emphasis on northern affairs.
Reframing Canada’s Arctic Strategy: Shifting from North-South to East-West Focus
Historically, Canada has kept its Arctic policy separate from NATO discussions, focusing instead on NORAD—the North American Aerospace Defense Command, a Canada-U.S. integrated military command responsible for air defense and maritime warning across the continent.
But Joly said shifting Canada’s Arctic perspective from a north-south to an east-west focus will better position the country to counter rising geopolitical tensions and increasing international interest in the region.
“For a long time, Canada didn’t want to discuss the Arctic at NATO, because we just wanted to talk about NORAD with the Americans, and thought our part of the Arctic shouldn’t be associated with the European part,” Joly said, responding to a question from moderator Martine Hébert.
“[But our new Arctic foreign policy] changes that approach. We’re looking at [the Arctic] as a whole. When we’re at NATO, we shouldn’t be afraid to talk about the Arctic and create collaboration between NORAD and NATO.”
Comments, tips or story ideas? Contact Eilís at eilis.quinn(at)cbc.ca
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: North Pacific, Nordic partnerships and Canada’s Arctic Foreign Policy, The Canadian Press
Finland: Russian cyber attacks, espionage pose growing threat to Finnish national security, Yle news
Iceland: Iceland authorizes U.S. submarine service visits, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: Russian jamming disrupting GPS signals for Norwegian aviation almost daily, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia:Confrontation is unfolding in the Arctic, says Russian Navy Commander, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Swedes must mentally prepare for war, says military top brass, Radio Sweden
United States: Space takes centre stage in U.S. Department of Defense Arctic strategy, Eye on the Arctic
