ABOVE THE ARCTIC CIRCLE -- After nearly 40 years in the Arctic and countless voyages through the Northwest Passage, Michel Dufresne, captain of the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Des Groseilliers, says no two trips north are ever the same. Especially now. “Thirty-nine years ago, the Arctic was totally different,” Dufresne said. “We can see that the Northwest Passage is open a lot more than it was in the past. It’s not always the same.” As global warming accelerates and Arctic waters become increasingly navigable, Canada’s claim to the region is facing growing scrutiny from countries like Russia and China. Recent tensions with the United States and its threat to annex Greenland earlier this year, have also underscored the importance of asserting Canadian sovereignty and security from coast to coast to coast. Embedded with the Canadian Coast Guard in the Arctic, CTV News is getting an exclusive look at how Canada is protecting northern sovereignty and security. Even the Northwest Passage has become a strategic flashpoint between Canada and the U.S. While Canada insists the passage is internal waters under Canadian sovereignty, the U.S. argues it’s an international strait. Since coming into office, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government has pledged more than $40 billion over the next decade for Arctic defence, infrastructure and security. Carney has described the investment as a significant departure from what he called the “piecemeal” approach of previous governments. Many experts say the shift is long overdue. But, as with nearly everything in the Arctic, it will come at a high cost and take years, if not decades, to achieve. “If you are not there, and if you’re not sovereign, your lack of presence is ceding your sovereignty to someone else,” said Maj.-Gen. (Ret’d) Scott Clancy, former director of operations for Norad. “I think we are seeing a generational transformation in the Canadian Armed Forces, not just in terms of its spending, but in its focus, especially in the Arctic.” The Canadian Coast Guard, meanwhile, officially moved from Fisheries and Oceans Canada to the Department of National Defence last year, in part to improve co-ordination at sea, especially in the Arctic. Exercise Arctic Ghost CTV News is embedded aboard the Des Groseilliers for the next several days. The icebreaker is scheduled to rendezvous with the Royal Canadian Navy’s newest Arctic and offshore patrol vessel, HMCS Robert Hampton Gray, for a series of joint exercises that will also involve the RCMP as part of Exercise Arctic Ghost. The drills are designed to demonstrate how federal agencies can work together to patrol vast stretches of the Arctic and strengthen security in the region. “If we are going to talk about a presence, you need a whole-of-government approach to presence,” Clancy said. This Arctic season, which spans from June to November, the Canadian Coast Guard will be deploying eight icebreakers and three vessels -- two deployed in the Mackenzie River and one in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. Their combined Arctic presence will add up to 852 cumulative days in the Arctic, along with 26 crew changes. Amid a renewed focus on Arctic sovereignty, Dufresne says he hopes Canadians will begin to understand what the Coast Guard does up north. “With what’s happening in the world, our presence here makes a little bit more sense and just making sure that yes, we’re here. It’s not an uncovered territory,” Dufresne said. New icebreakers on the way In the next few years, the federal government will be replacing its aging fleet of icebreakers, including Des Groseilliers, which first entered service in 1982. Two polar icebreakers and six other program icebreakers have been ordered, totaling billions of dollars, as part of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy. While Dufresne says it’s a milestone he welcomes, he admits it will be difficult to say goodbye to the ship that has defined so much of his career. “It’s like getting a new car,” Dufresne said. “But for me, it will be a little pinch in the heart to let this one go. Every seaman, every mariner, has a ship that holds a special place in his heart. For me, this one is very important.” CTV News Ottawa Bureau Chief Graham Richardson will be reporting from the Arctic this week while embedded with the Canadian Coast Guard, as Canada looks to assert its presence in the north.
