Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was set to announce a significant multibillion-dollar radar purchase from Australia and an expansion of military operations in the Arctic during his visit to Canada’s far north. This initiative aims to strengthen Canada’s claim over the increasingly disputed region.
The Canadian government confirmed that the prime minister would reveal the acquisition of a $6 billion (CAD $4.2 billion) “Over-the-Horizon Radar” system, designed to provide early warning radar coverage stretching from the Canada-U.S. border into the Arctic.
Carney was scheduled to make the announcement at a military base in Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, an Inuit-governed territory. This stop in Canada’s far north was his final visit after meetings with leaders in Paris and London.
The radar system, sourced from Australia, will span nearly a mile (1.6 kilometers) in length and is expected to have a smaller physical footprint compared to similar American systems.
Senior Canadian government officials, speaking to reporters on Carney’s plane before the announcement, shared that the radar purchase has been positively received by top military leaders within the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). NORAD is the joint U.S.-Canadian military organization responsible for overseeing security threats across both nations.
Officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, noted they could not comment on how Washington would react politically to Canada’s purchase of the Australian radar system. They were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
In addition, Canada’s top military commander was set to announce a Canadian $420 million (US $294 million) investment to enhance Arctic operations, expand training exercises, and deploy more personnel to the region.
The prime minister is currently in Iqaluit, the largest city in Nunavut, a vast territory that stretches across the Arctic Circle. Nunavut, which is about the size of Alaska and California combined, has a predominantly Inuit population of roughly 40,000.
The prime minister’s flight to Nunavut took him over Greenland, a region that has drawn attention due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s interest in it. As part of his “America First” foreign policy, Trump has made statements about potentially taking control of the Panama Canal and suggested Canada should become the 51st U.S. state.
Trump has even hinted at using economic pressure to push Canada toward annexation, a stance that has angered many Canadians. This rhetoric has shifted the political landscape, helping the governing Liberal Party recover from a possible historic defeat, and now they stand a chance at winning a fourth term. Carney is expected to call a general election by the end of the week.
Iqaluit, where the prime minister is visiting, experiences severe weather for much of the year. In February 2010, Iqaluit hosted a meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors from the G7 nations, where some dignitaries, including Carney at the time, participated in dogsledding in subzero temperatures.
Iqaluit is a unique place, home to about 7,500 people, and it’s one of the few cities in the world without a traffic light. It also has no road or rail connections to the outside world.
With increasing global tensions, climate change, and shifting economies, the Arctic has become a focal point in discussions about global trade and security.