Northern border management: different perceptions from Canada’s Arctic and Northern Policy Framework

Abstract

ABSTRACT In 2019, Canada released its newest Arctic strategy, the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework. This is Canada’s first regional strategy to deal with border management, it was co-developed with northerners, and includes four northern partner chapters in addition to those by the federal government. This article examines how border management is addressed by both the federal government and northern partners using a comprehensive approach to security that frames the analysis in the Copenhagen School’s five security sectors (military, political, societal, economic, and environmental). Analysis shows that elements of border management are evident in all sectors, meaning there are a wide range of considerations for policy and practice. While border management is only prioritized in the federal chapters, this does not mean that border management is not important to northerners. For example, the partner chapters discuss issues indirectly related to the border, and border management was discussed during the strategy’s consultation process. Moving forward, policy development must continue to be co-developed to ensure the needs of all regional actors are addressed.