Prime Minister Mark Carney dropped a bold Arctic agenda Tuesday, unveiling plans to ramp up Canada’s military presence in the North and tap Australia’s cutting-edge over-the-horizon radar to keep tabs on threats from rivals like China and Russia. The announcement, made during a brisk stopover in Iqaluit, came hot on the heels of Carney’s first overseas jaunt, where he rubbed elbows with France’s Emmanuel Macron and the UK’s Keir Starmer.
Freshly minted as PM after a landslide Liberal leadership win and a Friday swearing-in, Carney didn’t waste time flexing his vision. Alongside the military muscle, he pledged $253 million to turbocharge Indigenous reconciliation in the North. That includes $94 million to revamp aging power plants in Nunavut and $20 million to kickstart a hydroelectric project aimed at ditching diesel dependency.
Speaking after a morning chat with Australian PM Anthony Albanese, Carney touted a new radar partnership that promises to be a game-changer for NORAD. Senior officials, speaking off the record, say Australia’s system—slated for deployment by 2029—beats out competitors with its smaller footprint (just 1.3 kilometers of sleek monitoring pillars in southern Ontario) and rapid rollout.
The Canadian Armed Forces, already dug in year-round at Alert, Nvt., will see a $420-million boost to establish three to four new Arctic outposts—locations still under wraps. On the energy front, Carney earmarked $94 million to upgrade power plants in Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven, Igloolik, and Iqaluit, while the Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corporation’s hydro project gets $20 million for engineering, with shovels hitting the ground in 2029. Housing also gets a $74-million shot in the arm, with $66 million for building and fixing homes across Nunavut.
With Trump’s saber-rattling over Canada’s economy and sovereignty fueling a Liberal polling surge, Carney’s moves signal he’s not waiting around. An early election could be just days away, and this Arctic blitz—blending defense, green energy, and reconciliation—might just be his opening salvo.