Inuit and Arctic communities must be included in Canada’s defence decision-making

OTTAWA—On Wednesday, NDP Interim Leader Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway), NDP critic for Arctic Sovereignty and Security Lori Idlout (Nunavut) and NDP critic for Defence and Foreign Affairs Heather McPherson (Edmonton Strathcona) raised major concerns with Mark Carney’s defence plan unveiled this week and stressed the need to include Inuit and Arctic communities in Canada’s defence decisions

Carney’s new defence plan commits $9 billion in additional spending and relies heavily on the Arctic but lacks meaningful consultation with Arctic communities and Inuit. The NDP says that protecting Canada’s Arctic sovereignty must also include investments in Inuit and Northerners.

“Real Arctic sovereignty demands meaningful consultation with—and investment—in Northern communities—that people who live there,” said Idlout. “Prioritizing military spending while neglecting the fundamental needs of Nunavummiut and Northerners doesn’t work and is unacceptable and this undermines Canada’s defence.

“It is unfortunate that none of the Indigenous Liberal MPs stood up for Inuit in Carney’s defence plan—one that should have included sorely needed investments in schools, adequate housing, dependable electricity, transportation infrastructure, including airports and marine infrastructure and better health care for Arctic communities.”

The NDP also reacted to further glaring gaps in the Liberals’ defence plan, reports of Canada considering participating in Trump’s Golden Dome initiative, and the Auditor General’s scathing report on the F-35 program—one that has proven to be a major Liberal failure.

“Canada’s new defence plan doesn’t adequately address the need for conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and peacekeeping,” said McPherson. “While there are some good things in Monday’s announcement, including support for members of the CAF and a focus on Canadian production, we’re concerned that Carney is writing a blank cheque to the same defence industry that continues to send Canadian-made military goods to human rights abusers with the consent of the government. And Carney is cutting international development funding when it is already shocking low.”

“We can no longer consider the United States a reliable ally, and we’re concerned that Mark Carney’s participation in conversations about the Golden Dome, and the failing F-35 program, mean Canada is heading in the wrong direction,” added Davies. “It’s time for Canada to play a stronger role as an advocate for peace in the world, to cultivate relationships with democratic and trustworthy nations, and to strengthen our Arctic sovereignty by investing in the peoples of the region.”