Today, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that he met with the Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen to discuss plans to increase investments in Arctic security, economic growth and infrastructure as well as plans to “deepen co-operation” with Nordic Baltic nations.
Premier R.J. Simpson said that with the territories of the North playing a critical role in Canada’s defence and sovereignty, NWT leadership is in “close contact” with the federal government regarding any potential changes to NATO with implications for the North.
On Jan.21, the US president Donald Trump said he wanted to annex the North, as a measure needed for US “national security.”
The same day, President Trump reportedly made a deal with NATO after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte regarding Greenland and the “entire Arctic Region.”
People in the territory have a lot to say too. Strong voices and perspectives on the issue are everywhere in Yellowknife’s streets, sidewalks, cafes, buses, stores and gathering hubs – abuzz with different views on a complex issue. While some people preferred to be anonymous in sharing comments, others shared their full names. We have included their first names in the story.
Peter, who was visiting Yellowknife from Nahanni Butte, said national security is important – along with good leadership.
“We do need protection, especially up North, that’s what we need – military.”
Peter said that in his view, a good leader is someone who protects the lands and follows through, but in a peaceful way that respects peoples’ choices.
“A good leader doesn’t tell people what to think, what to do,” he said.
Something that Peter liked about PM Trudeau was that “he did what he said would do” with lands in Nahanni Butte.
“Carney is new, but he’s doing ok, got no worries with him,” he added
Mael, who came to Yellowknife recently from overseas and is living in the NWT, said for him the issue is about respecting sovereignty for all people of the North, for the people of Denmark and also Venezuela.
“So Canadians I think are going to be loud on claiming where they belong. I think it could rally together the Canadians even more, just as the Europeans with Greenland and Venezuela with its people,” said Mael.
“The United Nations have a lot of intelligence organizations. I think it’s really important we respect the international community and sovereignty.”
Austin said he felt taken aback by the president’s words, even though it wasn’t the first time that the president spoke of annexing the North.
“I’m more fearful now, with the talk about Greenland, what they’ve done in Venezuela. And now the talk about Greenland and with military being part of the conversation and being told that we should be a 51st state,” said Austin.
“And I’m hearing like I’m hearing some of our politicians talking about war on the menu,” he added.
In his speech the president had said taking over the lands of other countries was needed in the name of national security
“We have a wonderful country, the United States is a wonderful country, but we’re different countries and there’s just no reason, I can see why we would all want to be one country. And I just I have real difficulty over this talk about well, it’s necessary for the defence,” he said.
It’s an issue that many people are concerned about.
“You know, if you start to kind of unravel the conversation, you begin to realize just how complex it would be to have sovereignty taken away. It really is a complex problem.”
“The northwest passage, we’re talking about global warming and I kind of figure but again, I don’t know. It’s just my own thought, global warming affects the marine track, driving temperatures and countries, politically, to find different passages. It’s weird times, when it comes to the weather when it comes to politics, it’s alike.”
There was a common feeling expressed that the threats to annex the North were more based in political rhetoric than reality.
“I don’t believe in what he is saying and I don’t think he can do what he’s saying. Canada can never be the 51st state of the US, so that’s impossible. We can work within our country, and work within the global arena, I don’t think we really need help from the USA,” said Serge.
A woman who has dual Canadian – American citizenship, and lives in the territory, commented that it’s a “sad state of affairs” to see what is happening across the world, including in the U.S.
“I have dual citizenship, I grew up in the States and I’ve been in Canada since I was 19, my choice. I love living in Canada and proud to be Canadian. I think that his speech regarding Greenland has really nothing to do with Arctic security and more about valuable minerals,
“I mean, clearly there is a an issue with having security in the North, but that’s in all countries -it’s Canada, it’s Greenland, it’s Denmark, it’s all the countries, it’s not just the U.S, and it’s not going to be just up to the U.S to decide how that’s going to turn out.”
Mike, who was in town visiting from Vancouver, agreed that it’s more of a question of economics.
“Ultimately, I don’t think he has any intention and I think even the military would refuse to come up here, but he’ll use economic coercion to try to undermine Canadian sovereignty so we got to be prepared to take some bumps because unfortunately the US has that level of economic power.”
“So he’s trying to annex Canada, he seems to think that will ‘make America great’ or that will make Canada ‘not great.” We are our own independent country, we can survive without American help,” said one Yellowknifer.
“They should respect the northern people and their interests and their wishes,” said an Elder.
“I don’t think it is up to the leadership of Canada, if it cannot stand up for its people. It is the leadership that can stand up and say ‘no, you cannot come in,’ that’s why we have them in power. We’ve elected them to speak for us, so they have to do the right thing,” she said.
With Canada having opened up inter-border trade with other nations and inter-provincial and territorial trade, it’s a ‘whole new ballgame’ and Canada has proven they don’t depend on the U.S.
“The U.S tried to use the tariffs, but it realized that it was losing a lot in tourism. Canadians were not ready to go into a place where people are not respected. You cannot have policies and you don’t respect them, you wake up and do what you want without respecting the governing laws of the country.”
“He should stop using the military as a tactic, he’d better have better strategies. If he wants something that is a win-win then better come clean on the table, not start using other avenues to hoodwink and fool the citizens, but then he has a different agenda and I think people’s eyes are now open, whatever happened in Venezuela, I don’t think any state is going to allow it should happen in their own country,” she said.
“One thing for me, we need to protect our land here, in case something happens, we don’t know his plans,” said Ryan, who said the issue of Arctic security is on their radar.
“I am not really worried but I am concerned,” they said. “I think it’s a concern for everybody.”
A woman from Fort Smith who was in Yellowknife today pointed out that any discussion about Arctic sovereignty is deeply rooted in Indigenous sovereignty.
“I think that Trump needs to realise that this is Indigenous territory and he needs to work with the Indigenous people of our country in order to do anything,” she said.
“Our Aboriginal people Trump trump.”
