Poilievre promises Arctic military base funded by cuts to foreign aid

February 10, 2025 TruthUSA

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre states that a Tory government intends to construct a permanent military base in Canada’s Arctic as part of a plan to assert sovereignty in the north.

During his visit to Iqaluit, Nunavut, on Feb. 10, Poilievre made the announcement, highlighting Russia and China’s escalating involvement in the Arctic.

“This serves as a wake-up call,” Poilievre emphasized. “We must become self-reliant and safeguard our interests and sovereignty.”

Various aspiring federal leaders have been making commitments to bolster Canada’s security lately in light of U.S. President Donald Trump’s ongoing remarks about his desire to incorporate Canada as the 51st U.S. state.

While in the capital of Nunavut, Poilievre unveiled the initial phase of his “Canada First Plan” aimed at “reclaiming control” of Canada’s northern region.

Poilievre disclosed that the proposed military facility in Iqaluit would house an air force wing to accommodate F-35 fighter jets and Poseidon P-8 surveillance aircraft. Iqaluit currently has an airport capable of facilitating Canadian military and NORAD operations.

Poilievre stated that the new facility is slated for completion within two years, and “100 percent” of the funds will be sourced from Canada’s foreign aid budget.

“All of these enhancements will be financed by significantly reducing foreign aid, a large portion of which is directed towards dictators, terrorists, and global bureaucracies,” Poilievre declared.

Other components of the Conservative Arctic agenda include doubling the number of Canadian Rangers patrolling the north and acquiring two heavy icebreakers for the navy.

Past efforts to strengthen Canada’s military presence in the Arctic have faced delays.

The Nanisivik Naval Facility near Arctic Bay, announced by the Stephen Harper government in 2007, was initially set to become operational in 2015.

A report from Canada’s auditor general indicates that work on the facility commenced in 2015. The docking and refueling facility is projected to open this year, as per the report. The Department of National Defence previously cited the challenging infrastructure work in the Arctic due to severe weather as the reason for the delay.

The federal government has commissioned two new icebreakers for the Coast Guard and partnered with the United States and Finland last year to improve icebreaker construction. Ottawa also launched its “Arctic Foreign Policy” in December, aiming to enhance cooperation with the United States and Denmark.

Canada’s defense policy update, released last year, identifies asserting Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic as the “most urgent and important task we face.” The policy update allocates $218 million over 20 years for “Northern Operational Support Hubs” to establish a more substantial year-round presence in the region.

Ottawa had pledged in 2022 to modernize the North American Aerospace Defense Command with a $38 billion commitment, which includes upgrading the forward operating locations in Iqaluit and elsewhere.

According to Poilievre, these commitments will proceed under a Conservative administration, with a promise to expedite them by “cutting red tape and delays.”

“For us to be a sovereign, self-sufficient nation, we must take charge of our north, secure all our borders, and stand independently,” he asserted. “We can no longer rely on the Americans to do it for us. This is the reality.”

Source link