Has Canada Shown its Arcticness?

Abstract

Canada is commonly seen as an Arctic nation. While this is certainly accurate from a geographical perspective, there remains a question as to whether the nation genuinely is committed to its “Arcticness,” or whether it simply evokes the image for political purposes. Another serious concern is Canada’s dependence on the United States in meeting her economic and security needs, which is seen as drawing Canada’s focus away from her Far North. Consequently, the Inuit (indigenous people in Canada’s northern provinces) and the region as a whole lack the requisite tools and nancial support indicative of a nation with signi cant Arctic aspirations. With Canada’s attention focused primarily on its economic and security relations, particularly with the U.S., Canada’s drive to fully become an Arctic nation appears greatly diminished. Is Canada willing to balance the demands of the Canada/U.S. economic and security relationship with a commitment to developments that would be bene cial to the Inuit and the region as a whole? What are the risks and bene ts associated with changing the nation’s strategic vision of the Far North? This article will attempt to address these questions. It will rst examine InuitCanada relations in historical context in order to better understand a dynamic that is still struggling to overcome its colonial past. Now focused on a return to self-reliance, Inuit strategy supports community development as well as Canada’s assertion of Arcticness. Second, I will examine the bond between Canada and the United States in both the security and economic realms.