Cambridge Bay residents increasingly anxious about security
In the dead of winter, seeing the military in an Arctic hamlet of 1,200 people is provoking anxiety for some residents in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut.
The Canadian Armed Forces are in Cambridge Bay for the first time in winter for Operation Nanook, an annual Arctic training exercise first held in 2007.
Emily Angulalik, an Innuinait elder and the executive director of the Kitikmeot Heritage Society, says that makes the security threats and discussions around Arctic sovereignty all the more real.
“I am grateful that they are here to protect and at the same time I’m fearful, is it that close? Are we that close to the war?” Angulalik said.
She’s one of many residents who told CBC News they worry about the safety of their community amid rising tensions about Arctic security.
This year’s Operation Nanook comes as Canada is amping up defence investments in the Arctic due to geopolitical changes: China’s growing ambition in the Arctic, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s plans to substantially increase the capabilities of the military, the push to develop critical minerals in the North, and U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to Greenland and Canada’s sovereignty.
Last week, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand called for a permanent NATO presence in the Arctic at a defence and security conference in Ottawa.
Sean French, the joint forces commander for the operation, said the military has two goals in the hamlet: to demonstrate their readiness in Arctic conditions and to strengthen the abilities of the troops.
“With the Canadian focus on our defence policy that came out — Our North Strong and Free — the forces are putting an increased effort into making sure Canada’s Arctic and our Northern people are safe, secure and well defended,” French said.
While he referenced a shift in geopolitical tensions informing the operation, including threats to Canada and Greenland’s sovereignty from Trump, he says ties between Canadian and American militaries remain strong.
Cambridge Bay Mayor Wayne Gregory said he’s been hearing from anxious residents like Angulalik.
“A lot of community members feel anxiety… because we are the main hub and we are the centre of the Northwest Passage,” he said.
He said the community has welcomed troops into the hamlet and making sure they are “ready to deploy and take care of what needs to be taken care of.”
Tricia Otnia has lived in Cambridge Bay for 27 years and is one of the residents worried about the future of people living in the Arctic.
“It’s alarming and it opens your eyes to see the world in a different way,” Otnia said. “It’s nice to see that our government is doing these types of practices to keep us secure and safe and interacting with our people.”
Angulalik says while the vastness and silence of the land once provided the community a sense of peace, now it reminds her of the remoteness of the Arctic if there’s an emergency.
“This is serious. What is our next plan?” she asks.
“You don’t have highways, where you can hop on a vehicle or a bus and travel to the next community, these necessities that we have in the south,” Angulalik said.
Gregory said he hopes Ottawa’s planned spending on dual-use infrastructure will offset some of those concerns.
For Cambridge Bay, the list includes a paved runway, airport expansion and security, hangers and a garage for military vehicles as well as Cambridge Bay’s water and sewage trucks.
Gregory is now asking Ottawa to add a recreational hub and emergency housing to that list but has yet to receive a response.
The forces depart Cambridge Bay on March 19.
A report written by Saloni Bhugra
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Analysis: By suddenly declaring a deal on Greenland, Trump demolished his case for owning it, CBC News
Denmark: Denmark, Greenland leaders meet Merz, heading to Paris to shore up support, Reuters
Finland: Greenland clash left a mark on EU-US relations says Finnish PM, Yle News
Greenland: New Italy Arctic policy adds U.S. Greenland ambitions to growing Arctic competition narrative, Eye on the Arctic
Iceland: NATO chief to Arctic Allies: “We’re all frontline states now,” as Iceland’s role grows, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: “We want to be Europe’s most integrated region in terms of defence”, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Russia claims first-ever North Pole aerial refuelling, TASS reports, Reuters
Sweden: Swedish military intelligence on the great power rivalry over Greenland, Radio Sweden
United States: NATO’s Rutte: two “workstreams” on Greenland agreed upon with Trump, Reuters
