In response to an increasingly complex and competitive Arctic security environment, Canada has taken major steps to strengthen its maritime capabilities. Over the past year, this has included joining the trilateral “Ice Pact” with the U.S. and Finland, beginning construction on two heavy polar icebreakers, and integrating the Canadian Coast Guard into the Department of National Defence. These developments mark a significant evolution in how Canada approaches Arctic sovereignty, maritime security, and allied interoperability.
On this week’s episode of The Expert Series, Chris Henderson discusses the rationale and implications behind the integration of the Canadian Coast Guard into the Department of National Defence, the Coast Guard’s evolving national security and law enforcement mandate, the “Ice Pack” agreement with the U.S. and Finland, the geopolitical motivations behind the Ice Pact agreement and its industrial and technological benefits, industrial policy, and long-term governance options for the Coast Guard.
