Against the backdrop of Ottawa’s newly announced defense priorities and NATO’s growing focus on the Northern flank, Arctic360’s ‘Breaking the Ice’ summer podcast series continues with a conversation on how Canada can strengthen both defense and the economy by innovating out of the Arctic.

Prime Minister Mark Carney began his post-election tenure with the priority for Canada to be strong on defence and strong on the economy. In June, the Prime Minister, alongside Minister of National Defence, David McGuinty, delivered a defence announcement outlining coming investments and priorities for DND. The announcement included meeting NATO commitment to 2% of GDP, now 5% with 1.5% dedicated to defence and security related investments.

In addition to building a Defence Industrial Strategy, the Prime Minister also announced the launch of the Bureau of Research, Engineering and Advanced Leadership in Innovation and Science – or BOREALIS.

As NATO’s own Arctic focus includes strengthening preparedness for cold weather operations and the accompanying cold weather innovations required to do so is the arctic Canada’s means to be strong on defence and strong on the economy? Canada’s path for defending its Arctic sovereignty and fostering economic growth through dual use cold-weather innovations out of the Arctic?

To discuss these issues, co-hosts Jessica Shadian, Jaiden Stevens and Mishal Khan talked with Glenn Cowan, CEO of One9; Kevin Reed, President and COO of the Defence, Security & Resilience Bank; Dr. Jackie Dawson, Full Professor at the University of Ottawa and Researcher in Residence at the Office of the Chief Science Advisor for the Government of Canada; and Patrick Schneider-Sikorsky, Partner at the NATO Innovation Fund.

The episode opens with Cowan stating that ‘Canada’s notorious for deploying yesterday’s technology tomorrow – we insist on fighting with our hands tied behind our back,’. Reed built on Cowan, ‘nature’s opening up the Arctic, whether we agree or disagree, and with that comes enhanced threat from nations who might want to hurt Canada’. Dr. Dawson focused on the necessity of a national Arctic science strategy in supporting the way forward. Dawson stressed that ‘we need to stand up proud as an Arctic nation… and invest collectively in Arctic science as a unit’. Turning to Europe, Schneider-Sikorsky discussed Europe’s shift toward defense-focused investments. The NATO investment Fund, for example, has made investments in AI, to robotics and space technologies. Canada similarly needs to work with Europe on the demand side and on the on the adoption side. From sovereign mesh networks and low-impact shipping corridors to dual-use icebreakers, data storage investments, and catalytic capital, the discussion charts a roadmap where applied science, strategic investment, Indigenous leadership converge to secure Canada’s Arctic future. The consensus is clear: the time to act is now.

NATO, Sovereignty, and Urgency

In terms of Canada’s strategic posture in the Arctic Canada has been ‘asleep at the switch for about 20 years,’ Canada needs to develop on-the-ground capability that incorporates Inuit and First Nations partnerships from the outset. The guests looked at the Arctic’s central role in continental defense. Approximately 2/3 of NORAD with the mandate to protect North America’s shared aerospace and maritime space (in the Arctic) entails Canadian international waters or Canadian airspace. Canada has an obligation to step up and defend ‘the strongest bilateral military alliance in the world’.

Canada’s role in NORAD is connected to its role on the global stage. Reed warned that failure to invest at pace could see Canada excluded from key multinational defense planning. He also see’s the Arctic not just as a national responsibility but also a proving ground for innovation that can simultaneously advance security and economic opportunity.

Applied Science and a National Arctic Strategy

The conversation turned to the role of research and science in driving practical solutions. Beginning with the notion that Canada is a ‘strong and important Arctic nation’, Dr. Jackie Dawson argued that we must break away from a culture of mediocrity. Central to this move is building a national Arctic science, ‘we’re the only Arctic nation that does not have one’. That is not to mention non-Arctic countries such as China, Italy, Germany, France and others having Arctic science strategies.

Dawson stresses that research must also be applied research, producing tangible benefits for both communities and defense readiness. She highlights that the Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) is world-class infrastructure, yet it remains underused. She also calls for integrated, dual-use icebreakers capable of hosting researchers, military personnel, and observers alike. Climate change, she warns, will not necessarily make Arctic navigation easier but in fact more challenging for the Canadian Arctic. For Dawson, a coordinated national strategy is crucial to bridge the needs of science, industry, and the community in a rapidly changing North.

Data Sovereignty: Fibre Cables and Sensor Network Technologies

Data sovereignty and communications infrastructure are imperative. Today, Canada relies heavily on Starlink for connectivity in Canada’s north which is a big vulnerability. Not least, foreign-owned systems could be unavailable in a time of crisis.

One9 has deployed a sovereign mesh network in Iqaluit with local partners and is a scalable model to support community services and defense. The importance of sensor-based data collection is also an imperative.  Sensor networks need to accommodate for the fact that every hunter and trapper acts as a sensor as is very fishing vessel. To that end, the panel agreed that combining fibre cable expansion with low-cost, distributed sensors feeding into a common, interoperable data layer could serve defense, climate monitoring, and resource management simultaneously, provided Canada builds the systems to integrate and act on that information.

Up to now, however, Canada is not yet fully harnessing its vast natural resources and technological capabilities to strengthen Arctic security and consequently leaving critical infrastructure gaps for rivals to exploit.

Indigenous Leadership and Low-Impact Corridors

The discussion then moved to governance and legitimacy in Arctic policy. Dawson highlights Canada’s unique advantage in settled land claims and the presence of strong Indigenous organizations such as ITK. She emphasized that these strengths only translate into meaningful outcomes when there is genuine trust and collaboration: ‘Policies are stronger and more legitimate when they are shaped together with the people who live in the Arctic’.

The panel emphasized that Indigenous knowledge is not merely a cultural insight, but a strategic asset for applied science and defense planning. Dawson’s work on low-impact Arctic shipping corridors exemplifies this approach as the project blends traditional knowledge with scientific research to designate safe, predictable routes that protect culturally significant areas while enabling marine transportation for both economic and defense purposes. By integrating Indigenous leadership into Arctic infrastructure and innovation strategies, Canada can strengthen policy legitimacy while maximizing operational effectiveness in the North.

Lightning-Round

Asked for one concrete, high-impact recommendation:

• Kevin Reed: Ensure Canada actively participates in multinational defense planning to avoid being sidelined due to underinvestment.
• Schneider-Sikorsky: Canada should join the NATO Innovation Fund to accelerate the adoption of dual-use technologies.
• Glenn Cowan: Establish a domestic capital pool for Arctic innovation and encourage founders to test solutions in real northern conditions.
• Dr. Jackie Dawson: Launch a national Arctic research strategy that effectively bridges science, industry, and community needs.