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Canada Boosts Arctic Presence
Canada announces a $6 billion radar deal with Australia and expands military operations in the Arctic to assert sovereignty amidst rising tensions with the US.
Waving Canadian Flag on a cruise ship Photo by (@Praveen Kumar NandaGiri) (@Unsplash)
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a significant radar purchase from Australia and an expansion of military operations in the Arctic on Tuesday, in an effort to assert sovereignty over the increasingly contested region. The Canadian $6 billion ($4.2 billion) Over-the-Horizon Radar system will provide early warning radar coverage from the Canada-United States border into the Arctic.
Carney made the announcement at a military base in Iqaluit, the capital of the Inuit-governed territory of Nunavut, on his last stop after visiting Paris and London for meetings with leaders there. "Arctic sovereignty is a strategic priority of our government," Carney said. “Canada is, and forever will be, an Arctic nation.”
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The Australian radar system will consist of a series of pillars almost a mile (1.6 kilometers) in length, with a smaller footprint than the similar American system. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the potential deal as a "significant export" for his country.
The purchase has been well received by top military officials in the North American Aerospace Defense Command, but senior Canadian government officials expressed uncertainty about how the deal would be received politically by Washington.
In addition to the radar purchase, Carney announced that the government will spend Canadian $420 million ($294 million) to expand Canada's Arctic operations and training exercises, and deploy more personnel. Canada will have a "greater sustained year-round presence" in the region, Carney said.
The move comes amid rising tensions with the United States, particularly over Arctic sovereignty. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened economic coercion to make Canada the 51st state, and his constant talk of annexation has infuriated Canadians.
Carney is expected to call a general election by the end of the week, and Trump's comments may impact the outcome. Trump has already placed tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, and is threatening sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products.
Despite the tensions, Carney said he will have a discussion with Trump at the "appropriate time," as “two sovereign nations, that is comprehensive and not targeted at one issue.”
