Canada will appoint a new Arctic ambassador and open two new consulates in the region

Canada will appoint a new Arctic Ambassador and open two new consulates in the region to help deal with what it calls changing geopolitical dynamics in the Arctic, as part of its newly launched Arctic Foreign Policy.

“Canada is at an inflection point in the Arctic,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, who launched the new policy alongside National Defence Minister Bill Blair, and Minister of Northern Affairs Dan Vandal, in Ottawa Friday morning.

In launching the new policy, Global Affairs Canada points to the war between Russia and Ukraine, climate change, and growing strategic interest, and competition from non-Arctic states as key factors that have changed the landscape.

“For many years, Canada has aimed to manage the Arctic and northern regions cooperatively with other states as a zone of low tension that is free from military competition,” said Joly.

“However, the guardrails that we have depended on to prevent and resolve conflict have weakened.”

The Arctic Foreign Policy provides five years of funding with an upfront investment of $34.7M, and $7M ongoing.

Among a list of key initiatives in the policy, Canada will appoint an Arctic Ambassador, and open new consulates in Anchorage, Alaska, and in Nuuk, Greenland.

The policy highlights a need to work even closer with Canada’s closest ally, the United States, to maintain a secure North American homeland.

It’s also recommended Canada become closer than ever to its Nordic Allies -- that work has already begun.

Speaking on background, a senior government official confirmed minister Joly recently met with fellow ministers of foreign affairs from Nordic allies and discussed security.

Canada is concerned about non-Arctic states and actors aspiring for a greater role in Arctic Affairs.

Global Affairs Canada says the country’s adversaries use non-military tactics like cyber activities, foreign interference and economic coercion to try and have an influence.

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“The North American Arctic is no longer free from tension,” the policy states.

“The Arctic Foreign Policy, a diplomatic strategy, addresses the challenges and opportunities Canada faces today, as well as those it expects to face in the coming decades. It gives Canada the diplomatic tools it needs to continue to assert its sovereignty, advance its national security interests and promote a stable, prosperous and secure Arctic.” said Joly.

Aligning with defence policy

The Arctic Foreign Policy is also aimed at aligning diplomatic efforts in the region with the newly updated defence policy: “Our North, Strong and Free”.

“Canada has benefited enormously from our geography. Surrounded by 3 oceans, and our closest ally to the south, our country has enjoyed a degree of protection that has helped keep our borders safe and secure. That reality is changing in the Arctic,” said National Defence Minister Bill Blair.

The defence minister points to climate change, specifically the speed at which the Arctic is warming, as a national defence concern.

“In the coming decades, the Arctic Ocean will become a vital shipping route between Europe and Asia, while vast stores of natural resources become increasingly accessible. This growing access is already enticing nations to the region, heightening security challenges and geopolitical competition,” said Blair.

Protecting those living in the North

This new policy is billed as one that will complement the already existing Arctic and Northern Policy Framework (ANPF) launched in 2019, co-developed with First Nations, Inuit and Metis groups.

That policy set out a common vision for the Arctic and the North; strong, thriving, and secure people and communities.

“The success of this new foreign policy will depend on continued learning from the immeasurable experience, knowledge, and wisdom of First Nations, Inuit, Métis, Modern Treaty and Self-Governing partners and communities.” said minister Vandal.

“Through this Policy, Canada’s approach to the Arctic will be developed with respect for Indigenous self-determination and the values, interests, cultures, and traditions of Arctic and northern Indigenous Peoples, including weaving traditional knowledge into Arctic decision-making at the global level.”

The new foreign policy aims to deliver on the objectives of the ANPF, while dealing with a changing geopolitical context.