Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Yellowknife on Thursday marked a “historical” and unprecedented moment, committing billions in infrastructure and defence investments across the North.
A number of Indigenous leaders were in attendance, including Dene National Chief George Mackenzie, Ɂek’wahtı̨dǝ́ Danny Gaudet of Délı̨nę, Chief Jamie Moses of Pedzéh Kı̨ First Nation, Chief Bertha Rabesca-Zoe, and President of the North Salve Métis Alliance Marc Whitford, alongside MP Minister Rebecca Alty, Premier R.J. Simspon and Northern Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced over $30 billion going to military hubs in Yellowknife, Inuvik, Iqaluit and Goose Bay along with three major projects for the N.W.T. The Mackenzie Valley Highway Project, the Arctic Economic and Security Corridor and the Talston Hydro Expansion project were all approved by the major projects office.
The PM committed nearly $3 billion in funding for two new Northern Operational Support Hubs and two new Northern Operational Support nodes located in Nunavut and the Yukon.
The investment announcement also included $294 million for Arctic airports, including building a runway overlay and “modernising” Rankin Inlet Airport and upgrades to Inuvik Airport
Together with additional investments across the North, the total funding is estimated at over $40 billion.
“With this plan. We are taking control of our future. We will no longer rely on others, to defend our Arctic security, or to fuel our economy. We’re taking full responsibility for defending our sovereignty,” said PM Carney.
Alty pointed out that military operations in the north have already begun expanding, one example of that being operation NANOOK exceeding its annual distance range by thousands of kilometres this year.
“This is a critical time for Canada, but that’s especially true here in the North,” said Alty. “We’re doubling down, building big, and investing in the North,” she added.
The plans are part of a strategy “defend and transform” the country’s North. PM Carney said that the war taking place in the Middle East “reinforces” that the world is “more dangerous and divided.”
“We need to protect our territory. That’s what we’re doing. Secondly, it reinforces that we can be hit from shocks from abroad, economic shock,” he said.
“We need to invest in home and be strong at home. That’s what we’re doing and it also reinforces that we need all forms of energy in order to be resilient. So yes, oil and gas, we’re developing those in a responsible way but also clean energy. And part of today’s announcement is to finally get the north off of diesel whose prices are going up,” added the PM.
The federal government said the plan will benefit over 140, 000 Northerners by building “stronger more connected” communities, more opportunities and a higher standard of living.
“This is a historic day,” said Carney. “And this historic day has been a long time coming.”
PM Carney began the announcement reflecting on Prime Minister John Diefenbaker who, in 1958, asked Canadians to consider ‘a new imagination for the Arctic’.
“An area that contains 40 per cent of Canada’s landmass and over 70 per cent of our coastline is at the very heart of our nation,” said Carney.
“While it’s at the heart of our nation, it hasn’t always been treated as such.”
Carney went on to speak on prior federal investments in the North, saying that these investments were taken with too much caution or after long delays, without proper consultation with communities, and one-at-a-time with no connection to each other.
“They lacked the scale of ambition and the depth of strategy worthy of this vast region and its people,” said Carney. The Prime Minister pointed out that it has been decades since roads like the Mackenzie Valley have seen construction.
“Since I was a kid in Fort Smith, I’ve been hearing about the possibility of the McKenzie Valley Highway and I’m not that young. Four decades. There had been a series of false starts and endless assessments. That record ends today.”
Alty also reflected on how the construction of the Mackenzie highway had halted back in the 1970s.
Carney said that construction on the highway is scheduled to restart this summer.
He said that back in September the Arctic Security Economic Corridor was referred to the major projects office and since that time, they began engaging with rights holders, governments and partners to “translate high level strategy, into an action plan.”
A number of Dene leaders and members of the legislative assembly including R.J. Simpson spoke following the announcement about how hopeful they feel about what the future could bring.
Chief Mackenzie emphasized the importance of addressing key considerations that must be identified to ensure these projects proceed in a respectful and sustainable manner.
Mackenzie said that he is hopeful in response but it is still unclear what the “partnership” PM Carney spoke of will mean.
“We need Indigenous people to be on the Advisory Board when it comes to that discussion” about partnership. Or else it’s going to fail the Indigenous world. Many times, they say partnership. Now it’s time to sit down and form a committee working group to set the policies, guidelines— everything for how all Indigenous partnerships will work into the future.”
Mackenzie also expressed concerns about who will benefit from the investments, as historically more urban areas have had more access to the benefits of development. Mackenzie said that in the past, Indigenous and more remote communities have not had equal access to the rewards of development and he hopes this will change.
Mackenzie said he recommends a platform where Indigenous leaders can meet with the Prime Minister at least twice per year.
