Proposed Iqaluit military base must have ‘significant input’ from northerners: Akeeagok
Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok asks for ‘explicit recognition’ that Arctic developments will be made in partnership with northerners
Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok, right, responds to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, on his pledge to build a military base in Iqaluit. (Photos by Arty Sarkisian)
Premier P.J. Akeeagok wants an “explicit recognition” from federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre that his Arctic platform will be developed in partnership with Arctic people.
“While I’m heartened to see political attention on the Arctic, I want to remind Mr. Poilievre and his party that decisions about the North cannot occur without significant input from northerners,” Akeeagok said in a written statement Monday.
The statement comes just hours after Poilievre pledged to build a new permanent military base in Iqaluit if he becomes Canada’s next prime minister. He made the announcement at the Iqaluit airport.
Akeeagok, who was not at Poilievre’s event, said he only learned about the Conservative party’s platform on the day of the announcement.
The Iqaluit site Poilievre vows to build would be the first permanent Canadian military base opened in the Arctic since the end of the Cold War.
He said it would be big enough to host a full Royal Canadian Air Force command unit; launch and land new F-35 fighter jets and Poseidon P-8 surveillance aircraft that can carry out search and rescue operations; and conduct anti-submarine warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance work.
As well, Poilievre promised to buy two new polar icebreakers for the Royal Canadian Navy and double the size of the 1st patrol group of the Canadian Rangers to 4,000 members from its current strength of 2,000. Rangers are a group of Canadian armed forces responsible for remote and isolated parts of Canada, including the High Arctic.
Poilievre didn’t say what the price tag for the projects would be, but said the cost will be covered entirely by cuts to Canadian foreign aid.
Canada’s international assistance through Global Affairs Canada, the RCMP, and 19 other federal organizations amounted to $15.5 billion in 2022-2023.
“There are many opportunities for Canada’s next prime minister to partner with Nunavut on transformative projects in the Arctic,” Akeeagok said in his statement, adding that they should reflect “our rights, needs, and perspectives.”
Akeeagok was not immediately available for comment late Monday afternoon and Poilievre’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Seems political from the premier – he doesn’t pooh-pooh other leaders’ plans for the north.
I’m glad people are starting to know the incompetent Pajamas. All talk, and more photos.
Maybe others actually have discussions with Arctic leaders before making public announcements.
They are nice to have, not in any way a requirement speaking of national defence.
Local leaders are subordinate in such matters – as it should be.
Seeing how Trump thinks he can just take the Panama Canal back because they built it, who’s to say he won’t say the same about Iqaluit?
You can t play golf year round , unlike Panama.
867; or Sisimiut (Holdstenberg) or Hall Beach….
Maybe at the same time they can clean up all the crap they left behind at their projects. Barrels of fuel, broken down equipment, pcb,s and who knows what else that we have been trying to clean up for the last 70 years.
I would recommend Sanirajak or Resolute Bay because of their runways and Sanirajak would even offer all year round shipping.
Nanisivik was another site the feds were planning on because of the deep water port so there is options besides Iqaluit.
The military should just partner with Baffinland and the Steensby Rail Project to get it built, have a northern port at Milne a southern port at Steensby and a rail line and road connecting them all. Pave the airstrip at Mary River for their planes, use the icebreakers to help transit the ore, etc… sounds like a perfect partnership. Jobs for Nunavumiut and spot for army, navy and air force on northern Baffin Island.
Great for canada, great for the north, great for the economy, buil build build!
have them clean and renovate the asbestos littered building that is the Old Res. They can use that building for their military barracks
military bases are secret projects or a real reason. One; so the Russians won;t torture any old Joe for secrets. It is not a political play thing.
Mickey Mouse, PJ true colors did not attend event , just snubbed the future prime minister, and he may not be Premier this year after the election, huge project that needs to be done, Russia, China, USA , want to and will challenge ownership of northwest passage, simpleton it will be built it’s called National interest,
It likely wasn’t s snub by the premier. More likely that Skippy Pollievre didn’t think to invite him.
Same old Cons way of doing things, no consultations and just think they can do anything anywhere, closed meetings and just telling people what to do.
We suffered this under Harper, after all the funding and job cuts, dictatorship is not what we need here, we need infrastructure for the north and a military base is low on that infrastructure list.
We need infrastructure for our growing fisheries industry, infrastructure for tourism, infrastructure for trade schools, we need proper marine harbours, stable infrastructure for electricity/power plants. List goes on.
And this guy I just don’t trust at all. Cons.
If you think that fishing and tourism take precedent over national security, then you’re part of the problem for the last 10 years that landed us in this mess. If you want local infrastructure look at NTI. They’re sitting on 1.4 BILLION for the last decade. But I did notice a new beer store and brewery though
No.
This is a national security issue and takes priority over the needs or desires of any non-federal group that wants to bog down development with endless consultations, committees, and reports.
Military facilities bring nothing by prosperity to communities, so get the hell out of the way and let us defend our borders.
I agree the peoples of the north. Should be able to have input into the building
of a military base. How ever a project like this. Once the funding is in place, planning and design stages are completed. The building phase needs to begin quickly.
In previous consultation with all the various northern interveners. When large or small projects were proposed. The meeting were endless taking years to complete.
Speakers giving nonsensical and uninformed opinions. On a subject they knew nothing about.
The players involved with the building of a northern Military base will not. Just be the Canadian Government.
. It will include our allies. And they won’t be very understanding. Of all the endless meetings and political grand standing.
Todays militaries with all the technology, equipment, and qualified work forces. That are available. An northern military base. Could be easily be built in Northern Quebec or Labrador. There are other options than Nunavut.
“Akeeagok said he plans to continue his mission of advocating for defence and nation-building projects in Nunavut — such as the Grays Bay road and port and Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link — to improve security, help access to Nunavut’s minerals and resources and meet defence-spending obligations.”
So he says this but then wont support a military base being built. Whadda flip-flopper…
Why not him eh? No other PM ever gave a hoot….
Whether you’re on the left or right you all better wake up. It’s coming.
all one has to do is look at other military bases that were erected through the easter and atlantic communities across canada. the military sets up, the Inuit (men/women) now has access to more hard liquor and once again the family dynamics of the Inuit culture is being colonized but this time its the military government. than there is the destruction of the lands and resources. Than the contaminations of the tundra’s, rivers, waterways, seas and air are being polluted even more by low flying aircraft. Than it will be the migration routes of the caribous, polar bears, marine mammals, fish, water fowl and geese. Who will accept responsibility for this catastrophic destruction?
give yer head a shake? Everyone might be mad at (or tired of) Trudeau, but he did a lot for Inuit and Nunavut. It’s not accurate to say that he did nothing, and for the most part, he did it with Inuit.
This guy (the CON) isn’t a real leader. He’s a bully Trump wanna be.
Why buy products when you can hire and provide work for those who need it
“Akeeagok, who was not at Poilievre’s event…”
Pierre Poilievre, a sitting member of the Parliament of Canada, the leader of the official Opposition in the Parliament, and the next Prime Minister of Canada comes to Nunavut and PJ tries to act tough instead of rolling out the red carpet and inviting the guy for dinner.
Working class housekeepers, tradespeople, and small-business owners go to work every day in Canada to fund every dollar that PJ spends and he couldn’t even invite the next Prime Minister to dinner. Sheesh