Canadian Forces may need U.S. help supplying Arctic

lovely...we talk about arctic sovereignty, but we need the Americans to help us ensure it. Would it be easier to resupply through Churchill or Halifax?

Probably Churchill, closer so the ships can make more trips in the summer when the ice melts and build up more supplies when the ice comes back (reverse Ice Road Truckers). Halifax would be year round but probably more expensive than just doing a supply spree for a few months.

During the winter, supplies can be shipped by rail to Churchill, so everything can be warehoused until it's ready to be shipped during the summer shipping season. Not sure if stuff could be sent there using ice roads though, as sea ice is tricky. Harbour facilities would defintely have to be upgraded in Churchill though for storing fuel and other supplies.

Like I said, reverse Ice Road Truckers. The ships would be racing in the summer instead.

Spend now and save later.

We shouldn't need assistance from allies to operate within our own borders.

Whoever suggested obtaining help from the Americans needs a hard slap upside the skull.

Chances are any resources we uncover will end up in the states, only makes sense they lend a hand pulling them out of the ice/ground.

This isn't about resources, this is about the ability of the Canadian Forces to operate independently in the Arctic.

We should be able support our own forces within our own borders yes?

This is totally about resources, why do you think we are trying to increase our presence there? The country is vast, it is impracticable (given our economy) to expect we can defend all of it by ourselves.

Resources are simply a side show to the main issue in my mind. As a Canadian, I would find it unacceptable that our own military has problems operating in our own sovereign territory without American assistance.

Now maybe you don't give a shit, but to me, that is entirely unacceptable. Asking the Americans for a hand in this circumstance is nothing short of an embarrassment.

End of rant.

I have to agree - as a sovereign nation - we need to at least be able to patrol our borders and traverse our territory by ourselves.

If you want a soldier up there its going to cost us, which means you will get less out of the other social programs we all love so much. Unless of course you want to join up and volunteer for a posting to Alert?

Sovereignty over the Arctic? Hmm...you would have to have people living there to claim sovereignty.

Newsflash: The Canadian Arctic is inhabited.

So it costs us - bill as stimulus or some such.

Unlike the conservatives here, I don't have a problem with higher taxes, assuming those tax increases go to important things like national defence, social programs, etc. and not just doubling the number of civil servants earning more than 100K.

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