Canada Must Bolster Arctic Defence, Infrastructure and Resource Development, Says Retired General

In an opinion piece, retired lieutenant-general Michel Maisonneuve stresses that Canada’s identity as a polar nation calls for a comprehensive Arctic strategy built on deterrence, defence of territory, resource development and transport links. He notes the country’s modest northern military footprint—about 300 personnel in Joint Task Force North and roughly 5,000 Canadian Rangers—compared with the United States’ extensive Alaskan presence.

Climate-induced ice melt has turned the Arctic into a navigable corridor, drawing interest from Russia and China, and disputes such as the status of the Northwest Passage demand more than diplomatic protests. Maisonneuve welcomes the March 12 announcement of $40 billion for northern projects, including expanded bases at Yellowknife, Inuvik and Iqaluit and upgraded Arctic airports, but warns that funding must translate into permanent capabilities.

He calls for Indigenous partners to share in the benefits of resource extraction and for dual-use infrastructure that serves both communities and national security. Historical concepts like the 1968 east-west mid-Canada corridor illustrate longstanding ideas for linking the North to markets.