Photography by Bill Braden

“If Canada takes the North more seriously, the world will take Canada more seriously”.

This week for our first episode of this summer’s ‘Breaking the Ice’ Podcast Series, we were joined by Erin O’Toole and Sean Boyd to have a conversation on North American Arctic infrastructure and defence.

We looked at Canada’s need to develop an effective Arctic strategy, the increased need to focus on Canadian Arctic security and sovereignty, and the role of infrastructure, education, and innovation to address Canada’s Arctic needs and unlock its potential.

Sean and Erin both come to this discussion through long-term careers focused on Canada’s North. Erin O’Toole’s early military service first turned his attention to Canada’s North which later influenced his strong advocacy for Arctic infrastructure, investment, partnerships, and policies during his time as a Canadian political MP.

Through his tenure (including as former CEO) at Agnico, Sean Boyd spent ample time in the North and developed strong partnerships with Inuit communities and leaders through Agnico’s mining projects in the region. His experiences eventually fuelled his national advocacy on the need for a Canadian Arctic strategy to build multi-purpose and multi-sector social, economic, and defence infrastructure that includes enabling private-public partnerships.

We kicked off our conversation with a discussion about what Erin and Sean see as some of the biggest changes in the region since they first became engaged with the Arctic. Sean pointed out the social acceptance that has emerged about mining and its importance for Canada and its North in ensuring economic wealth creation and growth. Erin gravitated towards the Indigenous economic reconciliation and intergenerational wealth transfer we have witnessed in the North in recent years. This includes the creation of long-term partnerships and agreements between the corporate sector and indigenous groups which has enabled wealth creation in communities previously burdened by limited opportunities.

Developing an Effective Arctic Strategy

Both Erin and Sean are calling on Canada to develop an effective Arctic strategy. Despite decades-long discussions by Ottawa on developing an Arctic strategy, there has been a clear lack of action. With the recent federal announcement of an $8 billion spending plan on Northern defense, there seems to be an increased effort to coordinate more efficiently and recognize the opportunities to capitalize on the force multipliers.

Sean argues that mining companies can execute projects more quickly and efficiently than the government. He advocates for a collaborative approach and is optimistic as this already seems to be taking shape. Erin agreed, expressing that the current momentum for an Arctic strategy is not coming from the federal government, but from the private sector taking the initiative and forcing the government to step up and play along.

Erin also discussed the importance of a bipartisan Arctic strategy to create political continuity that will ensure development continues to accelerate in a long-term manner. Both Sean and Erin argue that developing Canada’s North is not a short-term project.  A truly effective strategy must start now, involve long-term thinking, and be able to survive consecutive governments.

At its core, an effective Arctic strategy includes local communities and the private sector in investment decisions, clear deliverables, predictable budgets, and strong local partnerships. It must also be backed by a long-term vision from the federal government.

Through the conversation, both Sean and Erin stressed the importance of engaging Ottawa in community-driven strategies and ensuring that investments have a multiplier effect. Agnico Eagle has found their theme of ‘mine building, community building, nation building’ to resonate with communities and politicians, and advises the government to lean into this theme to see the layers of potential strategic benefits for Canada that can come from increasing private-public partnerships in the Arctic. Yet to effectively do so, all levels of government must be involved.

Security and Sovereignty in the Arctic

Our conversation turned to the growing security significance of the Arctic, especially in the wake of recent geopolitical tensions. Erin pointed out that Canada’s allies and partners are desperate for Canada to take a lead on its own Arctic security. Sean and Erin both underscored the need for Canada to assert its sovereignty through presence and strong community development and Erin coined it well by stating that “projection of your sovereignty is not just boots on the ground, […] it is also the leadership showing that we think the Arctic is important.”

Erin also discussed how investment in defence, particularly in diesel submarines and other coastal defence technologies such as drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), is crucial for Canadian sovereignty projection. In particular, he made the case that there is an opportunity for Canada to lead in Arctic security and innovation, especially in small modular reactors, which could provide reliable energy to remote communities. By capitalizing on these opportunities, Canada can put its NATO 2% spending to effective use, signal to its Arctic adversaries like Russia and China that stealth security in the Canadian North is now a priority, and increase the security and well-being of all Canadians.

Infrastructure, Education, and Innovation

As with all conversations on Canada’s North, ours eventually turned to discussing the critical need for investments in multi-use multi-purpose defence infrastructure, a prerequisite for Canada’s ability to project its Arctic power and strive for meaningful and long-lasting sovereignty.

Sean pointed out the potential for job opportunities in the North and emphasized the need for better training and investment in education to realize that potential. To that end, Agnico Eagle has been a longstanding proponent of the development of more options for higher education in the North, particularly in Nunavut. However, federal support for this is lacking.

Erin agreed, claiming that right now Canadian youth want to shake up the system and see more progress for their futures. Indigenous youth are a large demographic in Canada that is underutilized despite bringing unbelievable capabilities to Canada and being crucial assets to Canadian Arctic innovation and defence. Erin suggested that a good starting place for change is ensuring defence security companies maximize Indigenous-led supply chain investments.

Developing maritime infrastructure, such as deep-water ports, is also vital for both military and economic purposes. Erin and Sean both see the potential for the North to be a hub for innovation, urging the government to support private sector initiatives and complementary investments to make it easier for innovative ideas to scale up. Investment strategies must prioritize ensuring force multipliers and right now the private sector is leading, leaving the government in a position to either follow along or get out of the way.

As the conversation shifted towards the topic of the environment, Erin and Sean both affirmed that positioning the environment as a priority is key when considering Arctic investments and engagement. In terms of the mining sector, Sean explained that it is all about how you approach and conduct yourself as a company when it comes to environmental stewardship. This involves recognizing that you are a visitor on other people’s land and your role is to build meaningful partnerships that will be able to optimize the community and region. Similarly, Erin expressed that environmental stewardship is about balance and responsible practices. The foundation of any Arctic strategy must have environmental safeguards in place, be built on mutual respect, and recognize one’s duty to their partners.

Optimism for the Future

The conversation wrapped up on an optimistic note. Although securing an Arctic strategy and implementing investments is a long-term project, Sean envisions a future where mine-building is closely linked with community and nation-building.

Erin believes that the Canadian North can be the accelerator for Canada to regain its traditional role in the world and reverse its declining global reputation.

Effectively, if Canada takes the North more seriously, the world will take Canada more seriously.