Give Inuit greater role in Arctic security or risk ‘malicious’ foreign investment: Obed

Natan Obed had a warning for the federal government this week about foreign states possibly making “malicious” investments in the Arctic.

The government must “provide opportunities for Inuit to build our own self-determination and the essential infrastructure in our homeland,” the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami president told the Senate committee on national security, defence and veterans affairs on Monday.

Otherwise, he said, “I could imagine that you are setting the scenarios for foreign investment which may or may not be friendly.”

Currently, majority Inuit-owned Nasittuq Corp. operates the 47 North Warning System sites across the Arctic. And in October, Qikiqtaaluk Corp. — the business arm of Qikiqtani Inuit Association — partnered with an Ottawa-based venture capital and military contracting firm to create Sapujjijiit Inc., which they said is the first Inuit defence corporation.

But there needs to be more Inuit-led projects that support sovereignty and security goals, Obed said. Even the proposed Inuit Nunangat University would be able to contribute to defence or militarization through research.

“Canada is woefully behind in its [defence] spending,” Obed told the senators.

The federal budget, which narrowly passed in the House of Commons on Monday, contains spending to address what it described as “years of inadequate equipment” for the Canadian Armed Forces.

In the 2025-26 fiscal year that ends in March, Canada is projected to spend $62 billion on national defence, and an additional $81.8 billion in defence spending over five years.

Historically, the federal government “tended to make big promises for Arctic security during times of crisis, but when the crisis passed the promises seemed to evaporate,” said Nova Scotia Sen. Stan Kutcher during the committee meeting.

Obed responded, saying that this time the security crisis Canada faces is not the same.

“The difference in this crisis is that other countries are putting their money into security, defence, economic development and sovereignty structures within their part of the Arctic,” he said.

Canada’s Arctic investments “pale” compared to what the country’s traditional adversaries have been spending, he said.

China — which refers to itself as “near-Arctic state” — and Russia both ramped up their Arctic investments in recent years.

Since 2003, it’s estimated China spent more than $90 billion above the Arctic Circle, largely in energy and mineral sectors, according to U.S. House of Representatives committee on foreign affairs estimates in 2022.

Also, both countries have carried out more research expeditions in the Arctic through Russia’s claims over the North Pole area. Only through partnership with Inuit can Canada deter foreign interference in the region, Obed said.

“Canada would not be an Arctic state without Inuit,” Obed said. “Inuit legitimize Canada’s claims to the Arctic and are the foremost experts on the Arctic.”