The PC’s just announced the second part of a N.W.T. based project to “restore Canada’s northern strength” and “sovereignty” in the Arictic.
Kimberly Fairman, Conservative MP candidate for N.W.T., joined MP Chris Warkentin, Conservative candidate for Grande Prairie, for a public policy announcement today in the city of Yellowknife.
The announcement took place at the Explorer Hotel. There, Fairman told members of the press in attendance that the policy “will put the North and Canada first for a change.”
MP Warkentin began by saying the country has taken “ stability and security” for granted.
“(W)e believe that our vast oceans that surround us would ward off any foes. We thought that our allies would bear the burden of our defence and that we could rely on our neighbours to keep us safe and secure. But we can no longer be complacent,” said Warkentin.
Warkentin feels that with China declaring itself “a near Arctic power,” along with an increasing presence of Russian jets in the Arctic, it’s time for the country to take protective measures.
“(China) has been rapidly building a fleet of Ice Breakers to diversify and exert control over the Northern Sea route. Last summer, they dispatched three of their Ice Breakers to the Arctic, underlining their growing ambitions,” he said.
Warkentin said Russia poses another threat with the reopening of the Soviet military bases and the expansion of their northern fleet.
He pointed to an incident in January when Canadian and American jets “scrambled to intercept” Russian fighter jets in the Arctic. Warkentin said about a dozen other similar incidents happened in 2024 alone.
“The Department of National Defense has said that Russia poses a robust Arctic naval presence, with submarines, surface combatants and an icebreaker fleet that is much larger than those of other Arctic powers.In the face of these rising threats to our sovereignty from Russia and China, our northern border is now one of our greatest vulnerabilities but it is also one of our greatest opportunities.And yet, after the lost Liberal decade, Canada is hopelessly outmatched. Party Liberals have failed to grasp the strategic urgency of the North.”
Warkentin said that projects are “stalled” and that bases remain unopened or operating with outdated equipment.
“Despite it making up 40 per cent of our country’s landmass, Canada still has no permanent base in the Arctic,” he pointed out.
Pierre Poilievre, Conservative Party Leader and PM candidate, announced the Canada First plan for the Arctic. The plan proposes to build the first permanent Arctic military base since the Cold War in Kalamut.
Warkentin said this project proposes to double the size of the first patrol group of our Canadian Rangers. He said it also acquired two additional Polar Ice Breakers for the Royal Canadian Navy
Part two of the plan is to upgrade the current forward operating location in Inuvik into a second Arctic military base.
“This base will serve as a Royal Canadian Air Force wing for fighter jets and Husky tankers, greatly expanded Canada’s ability to quickly intercept both Russia and Chinese incursions into our airspace. We will also immediately begin procurement for a fleet of airborne, early morning and control aircraft to provide radar coverage and provide command capabilities for the RCAF, from right here in Yellowknife, the Conservative government will build a Arctic security corridor with an all season road to Grays Bay.” said Warkentin.
“This over 600 kilometer route will connect the territories together and allow for shipping and resupply from the Port of Grays Bay,” he added.
Thirdly, the project hopes to establish a new Canadian Army Reserve unit in Whitehorse to restore the operation in Inuvik in “its full strength as it was under Conservative government in 2011.”
“The Conservatives will also build an Arctic naval supply base in Churchill, Manitoba that will serve as a primary base for the operations for a Canadian new polar Ice Breakers. This base will secure our Arctic and extend the commercial shipping season from the Port of Churchill. The Canadian first plan for the Arctic is in addition to existing NORAD and defense upgrades that include advanced air to air missile and refueling capabilities, tactical helicopter and Arctic satellite support, upgrades to other forward operating bases in Yellow Knife and Goose Bay and a new Arctic satellite ground station,” he said.
A member of the press asked how the Conservatives plan to budget the Great Slave Geological Province Corridor, along with this latest project, as both are “billion dollar projects.”
“There is untold potential here in the world, we believe very strongly the number one potential of the economic engine,” said Warkentin.
“We do believe that there is untold potential here in the Northwest Territories. A Conservative government is willing to support that. And I think we should keep it in mind that there are other projects and there is a potential for those as well,” said Fairman.
True North FM asked how the proposed projects going into the territories will work in respectful ways with Indigenous communities.
“I think these are major projects that will need to involve Northerners in the discussions and planning a way forward. And we’re a hundred per cent committed to ensuring that governments are part of that discussion and that they are able to provide input into how we get this done,” said Fairman.
Warkentin affirmed Fairman’s insights and emphasized that opportunity needs to be done in consultation directly with Indigenous communities.
“The First People, the people that are most impacted by the lack of infrastructure and then of course will be impacted by what is built,” he said.
“It’s absolutely essential that we take local knowledge and implement the impact,” added Warkentin.
Fairman explained that communities will benefit through the creation of jobs and through ways of getting involved in the infrastructure projects.
“I think listening to the concerns from the communities and having been out over the last several months and talking to a number of people in communities, they do have concerns. But their bigger concern is that we are not moving forward with projects that are investing in the North where people don’t have jobs, they don’t have ways to continue. And so this is how we see this project,” said Fairman.
