OTTAWA – As Prime Minister Mark Carney travels to Iqaluit to reaffirm Canada’s Arctic sovereignty, the Green Party of Canada urges the government to recognize that Arctic security and climate action are inseparable. Climate change is rapidly accelerating, and protecting Canada’s Arctic requires a strategy that integrates environmental stewardship.
“The Arctic is warming at four times the global average,” said Green Party Co-Leader Elizabeth May. “Defending our sovereignty in the North is about more than military presence—it’s about ensuring that the land, the people, and the ecosystems that define the Arctic are protected. Canada must prioritize collaboration with Indigenous communities, Nordic allies, and international partners to develop a security strategy that safeguards both our borders and our environment.”
The Green Party has long recognized that Arctic sovereignty is best established through the presence of Canadians in the North—including the continuous use and occupation of Arctic lands and waters by Indigenous peoples. The Prime Minister’s promise to invest in a missile detection system is an important step, but investments in the military alone are insufficient. The government should commit to investments in Arctic infrastructure, environmental protection, and emergency preparedness.
“We need to equip the Canadian Rangers with better resources, increase joint training with European allies, and enhance our shipbuilding capacity to ensure we can respond effectively to emerging threats,” added Green Party Co-Leader Jonathan Pedneault. “But we must also be forward-thinking—strengthening our Arctic presence means ensuring northern communities have sustainable housing, reliable infrastructure, and protections against the climate crisis that is already reshaping the region.”
The Green Party’s Protecting Canada Plan calls for a comprehensive and climate-conscious approach to national security, including:
- Increased support for the Canadian Rangers, ensuring they have the necessary resources to safeguard Arctic sovereignty;
- Expanded training and exchanges with French, UK, Scandinavian, and Ukrainian forces to bolster Canada’s defense capabilities;
- Significant investment in domestic shipbuilding to strengthen our capacity to defend Arctic waters;
- The establishment of a Federal Strategic Reserve of raw resources to secure Canada’s critical industries, protect jobs, and support infrastructure development;
- Public awareness campaigns on emergency preparedness and national security, ensuring Canadians are equipped with reliable information in times of crisis.
- Urgent investment in icebreakers, Arctic infrastructure, and search and rescue capabilities. China, despite having no Arctic coastline, has more icebreakers than Canada. As the Northwest Passage opens due to warming temperatures, Canada is unprepared. We need stronger monitoring of incursions by Russian vessels, an expanded Coast Guard presence, new regulations to protect Arctic fisheries, and the development of key Arctic ports to secure Canada’s northern borders.
“The Prime Minister has an opportunity to lead on Arctic security, but it must go beyond traditional defense measures,” said May. “A secure Arctic is one where communities are thriving, the environment is protected, and Canada is positioned as a global leader in responsible stewardship of the North.”
The Green Party urges the government to take an integrated approach—one that recognizes the link between sovereignty, security, and sustainability—to ensure Canada’s Arctic remains protected for generations to come.
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Fabrice Lachance Nové
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Rod Legget
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