Carney announces plans to boost Canada’s military footprint in the Arctic

By Canadian Press on March 18, 2025.

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney says Ottawa will expand the Canadian Armed Forces’ presence in the Arctic and turn to Australia’s over-the-horizon radar tech to monitor threats from adversaries such as China and Russia.

Carney is also pledging $253 million in new funding for Indigenous reconciliation initiatives in the North.

They include $94 million to upgrade power plants in Nunavut and $20 million for a hydroelectricity project to help move northerners off diesel.

Carney is making the announcements during a short stopover in Iqaluit on the return leg of his first official trip abroad, during which the prime minister met with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Carney is widely expected to trigger an early election in the coming weeks or days.

The Liberal party has enjoyed a sharp rebound in the polls in recent months, driven by U.S. President Donald Trump’s frequent threats against Canada’s economy and sovereignty and Justin Trudeau’s dramatic exit from federal politics.

Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press

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