GLOBAL GEOPOLITICS ON THE EARTH’S AXIS
Futureproofing Arctic Defence & Prosperity
Defence | Innovation | Partnership | Prosperity | Security
10 – 12 February 2026
Toronto, Canada
Arctic Geopolitics is Global Geopolitics: Global geopolitics is unfolding on the Earth’s axis. The Arctic political space has become one of undoing, strengthening, and testing Arctic state alliances, alongside expanding strategic cooperation with non-Arctic states to address growing defence and security risks driven by heightened strategic interest in the region. In effect, Arctic diplomacy is no longer solely a moral imperative but a strategic necessity—moving from sidebar discussions to a central agenda item, as cooperative agreements are forged with urgency and purpose.
Global Capital and the Wartime Economy: The ripple effects of geopolitical realities have led to policy shifts policy shifts enabling financial institutions to invest in dual-use equipment, infrastructure, and projects—with both military and civilian applications. Accompanying this trend, is the emergence of private and Public-Private defence funds providing additional capital for investments in dual-use projects and cold-weather innovation.
One Canadian Economy: Canada’s northern focused nation-building projects are northern and Indigenous led and include multipurpose social, economic, and defence Arctic infrastructure. Public-Private-Indigenous partnerships will be essential, as is developing the strategic infrastructure investment strategy to get there.
Innovating out of the Arctic: Cold-weather innovation will be the new source of Arctic maritime and land-defence advantage, and the frontier technologies needed. Beyond NORAD and NATO, they are also the key to critical minerals mining, accompanying supply chains, and the next generation infrastructure for a secure and prosperous north and Arctic region.
Futureproofing Infrastructure: Digital and Data Sovereignty: Next-generation infrastructure is already here. The Arctic is no exception. Critical Arctic infrastructure must be sensor- and AI-embedded to guard against cyberattacks, to measure and monitor everything from permafrost melt to subsea activity, and infrastructure interoperability. This discussion, inevitably, begins with the discussion on data sovereignty. The question that remains is whose sovereignty and how to get there.
The North is Calling: We have the Critical Minerals you Need: Across the Arctic, many of today’s critical minerals project proponents are Northerners and Indigenous governments and companies. Yet stand-alone projects will not achieve the intended diversification and the capital required. Critical minerals cooperations with and among Arctic nations are becoming the means for strategic policy coordination to help create de-risking tools (including mechanisms to enable northern and Indigenous equity partnerships), full supply-chain development and means of stockpiling.
Conference Venue
1601 Lake Shore Blvd W, Toronto, Canada
Palais Royale has a private parking lot for our guests only on Lake Shore Blvd. directly in front of our facility. Street lights with pedestrian crossing ensures safe crossing for all of our guests.
10 FEBRUARY 2026
17:00 – 18:00
COCKTAIL RECEPTION
18:00 – 21:00
DINNER & FIRESIDE CHAT (Invitation Only)
Fireside Chat: Senior Official, CSIS
Moderator: Stephanie Carvin, PhD, Associate Professor, Carleton University / Co-Host ‘Secure Line’ Podcast
ARCTIC360 DINNER SPONSORED BY AGNICO EAGLE MINES LIMITED
11 FEBRUARY 2026 – DAY 1 FULL-DAY CONFERENCE
08:00 – 09:00
NETWORKING BREAKFAST
CONFERENCE MC: Ollie Williams, Editor and Co-Founder, Cabin Radio, NWT
09:00 – 09:30
OPENING REMARKS
9:30 – 10:00
SETTING THE STAGE: GLOBAL GEOPOLITICS ON THE EARTH’s AXIS
Keynote: Hon. Anita Anand, Canada Minister of Foreign Affairs
10:00 – 10:30
FIRESIDE CHAT: UNITED STATES
Moderator: Danielle Bochove, Senior Fellow, Arctic360
- U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, Alaska
10:30 – 11:35
SESSION: THE EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD: TRANSATLANTIC ARCTIC SECURITY AND DEFENCE
Moderator: Danielle Bochove, Senior Fellow, Arctic360
- Tjorven Bellman, German Ambassador to Canada
- Geneviève Tuts, EU Ambassador to Canada
- Michel MIRAILLET, France Ambassador to Canada
- Rob Tinline, British High Commissioner to Canada
11:35 – 11:50
NETWORKING BREAK
11:50 – 12:20
FIRESIDE CHAT: GREENLAND
Moderator: Dr. Jessica Shadian, President and CEO, Arctic360
- Mira Kleist, Deputy Director, Kaya Partners
12:20 – 14:20
LUNCH AND FIRESIDE CHAT: STRATEGIC COLLABORATION FOR CANADIAN ARCTIC SECURITY AND DEFENCE
Moderator: Hon. Erin O’Toole, President, ADIT North America
- Sean Boyd, Chair of the Board, Agnico Eagle
- Hon. Caitlin Cleveland, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, GNWT
- Commodore Matthew D. Coates, Director General Readiness, Canadian Joint Operations Command, Canadian Armed Forces
14:20 – 15:30
SESSION: STRATEGIC SUPPLY CHAINS: THE NATIONAL & ALLIED SECURITY AND DEFENCE PREROGATIVE
Moderator: Dr. Jessica M. Shadian, President and CEO, Arctic360
- Patricia Boeg-Jensen, M.Sc.Eng., MBA, Project Manager, Business Sweden Canada
- Tom Paddon, Non-Executive Chair, Baffinland Iron Mines Corp.
- Dr. April Hayward, Chief Sustainability Officer, Li-FT Power
- Yves Leduc, Chief Executive Officer, Torngat Metals
15:30 – 15:45
NETWORKING BREAK
15:45 – 17:00
SESSION: ARCTIC NATION-BUILDING PROJECTS: PART I – THE PRIVATE CAPITAL
Moderator: Lisa Mitchell, President and CEO, Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP)
- Anne-Raphaëlle, Chief Executive Officer, Nukik Corporation
- Derron Bain, CEO, Concert Infrastructure
- Garry Best, President and CEO, Nunatsiavut Group of Companies
17:00 – 19:30
OPENING NIGHT COCKTAIL RECEPTION & NETWORKING – Sponsored by DAVIE
12 FEBRUARY 2026 – DAY 2 FULL-DAY CONFERENCE
08:00 – 09:00
NETWORKING BREAKFAST
09:00 – 09:30
OPENING REMARKS
9:30 – 10:00
FIRESIDE CHAT: RUSSIA
Moderator: Steven Chase, Senior Parliamentary Reporter, The Globe and Mail
- Sarah Taylor, Ambassador of Canada to Russia
10:00 – 10:30
FIRESIDE CHAT: EU ARCTIC AMBASSADOR
Moderator: Steven Chase, Senior Parliamentary Reporter, The Globe and Mail
- Claude Veron-Reville, EU Ambassador to the Arctic
10:30 – 10:50
FIRESIDE CHAT:
- Clint Davis, CEO, Cedar Leaf Capital Inc. & Hon. Dennis Patterson, Director, West Kitikmeot Resources Corp; former Senator of Nunavut
10:50 – 11:00
NETWORKING BREAK
11:00 – 11:30
FIRESIDE CHAT: GREENLAND
- Jacob Isbosethsen, Head of Greenland Representation to the U.S. and Canada in Washington D.C.
11:30 – 12:30
SESSION: ARCTIC NATION-BUILDING PROJECTS: PART II – THE STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN
Moderator: Dr. Jessica Shadian, President and CEO, Arctic360
- Hillary Thatcher, Managing Director, Investments, Canada Infrastructure Bank
- Janice Festa, Director, Innovation Policy, Transport Canada
- Rebecca Connelly, Vice President, Strategy & Engagement, Det’on Cho Management LP
- Paul Gruner, CEO, Tlicho Investment Corporation
- Hon. Dennis Patterson, Director, West Kitikmeot Resources Corp; former Senator of Nunavut
- Michael Walsh, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor)
12:30 – 14:30
LUNCH AND FIRESIDE DISCUSSION: ASIAN STATES AND THE ARCTIC
Moderator: Hon. Erin O’Toole, President, ADIT North America
- Dinesh K Patnaik, High Commissioner of India to Canada
- YAMANOUCHI Kanji, Ambassador of Japan to Canada
14:30 – 15:45
SESSION: FUTURE-PROOFING ARCTIC INFRASTRUCTURE: SMART INFRASTRUCTURE / DATA SOVEREIGNTY / NATION-BUILDING
Moderator: Irene Galea, Telecommunications, The Globe and Mail
- Brian Gallant, CEO, Space Canada
- Madeleine Redfern, COO, CanArctic Inuit Networks/Arctic360
- Lyle Fabian, President, Katlo Tech Communications
- Paul Barrett, Chief Communications Officer, Davie
- Eliot Pence, Founder and CEO, Dominion Dynamics
15:45 – 16:15
FIRESIDE CHAT: CANADA AND NATO’S NORTHERN FLANK
Moderator: Danielle Bochove, Senior Fellow, Arctic360
- Major General Travis Morehen, Director General International Security Policy (Dg Is Pol)
16:15 – 17:00
SESSION: INDIGENOUS NORTH: A CONVERSATION AMONG YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS
- Charlene Porter, Gjoa Haven, Nunavut
- Masha-May Fotheringham, Manager, Amautiit
17:00 – 19:30
CLOSING NIGHT RECEPTION & NETWORKING
‘It has been great to partner with Arctic360, which is not only Canada’s leading think tank on issues related to the Arctic but is emerging as a leading international voice bringing northern issues to the forefront. Their annual con- ference is one of the very few gatherings that brings together leaders from diplomacy, philanthropy, Indigenous governance, academia and the public and private sectors for serious engagement on Arctic issues with the view towards setting priorities and plans for the future. Arctic360 is helping forge critical collaboration and advance Arctic issues for Canada and the world.’
— The Honourable Erin O’Toole, Managing Director of ADIT North America; former Leader of Conservative Party of Canada; RCAF Veteran
‘It has been great to partner with Arctic360, which is not only Canada’s leading think tank on issues related to the Arctic but is emerging as a leading international voice bringing northern issues to the forefront. Their annual con- ference is one of the very few gatherings that brings together leaders from diplomacy, philanthropy, Indigenous governance, academia and the public and private sectors for serious engagement on Arctic issues with the view towards setting priorities and plans for the future. Arctic360 is helping forge critical collaboration and advance Arctic issues for Canada and the world.’
