Concerns about Canada's northern sovereignty has been on-going since 1953 when the federal gov't
moved inuit families from northern Québec to Ellesmere Island and Cornwallis Island.
As I can recall, staffs at CANADA COMMAND and CANOSCOM wrote about military options to enhance Canadian prescence in the arctic. All options were noted for two major common challenges: (1) significant fiscal expenditures were required for personnel, installations, equipment to support any of the options; and (2) enormous geographical area for surveillance.
Questions:
What constitutes as sovereignty and how is it to be performed?
Permanent presence (civilian, police, military?) on the ground?
Temporary presence - summer only?
Since this a domestic issue should it not be a Canadian Coast Guard and RCMP problem?
Can't surveillance be done just by satellites and any infringement by another nation be brought up through the political system? Does the Coast Guard, CAF, RCMP, Canadian Rangers need to be on the ground to detain the trespasser?
How will the Coast Guard, CAF, RCMP, Canadian Ranger be trained and equipped to handle potential threats?
What about Command, Control, Communications (C3)? CJOC, NORAD, RCMP, Coast Guard
For any air incursion, can the USAF interdict the flight if the RCAF cannot send up aircraft?
Should be Canadian Coast Guard operate like the US Coast Guard?
What happened to the Arctic base/port?
Can the F35 operate in the arctic?
Should the RCN have and operate heavy ice breakers in the arctic?
Should the RCAF operate more surveillance flights in the arctic?
Should the RCAF/CA have permanent bases in the arctic? Where? How big?
Should be RCN be equipped with SSNs?
My point is that there are lots of questions and lack of federal political direction and will because of $$$$$$$.