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Canada is strengthening its Arctic presence as melting ice opens the Northwest Passage to increased traffic and international interest. The nation faces competing claims from world powers while drawing on centuries of Inuit habitation and oral history to support its sovereignty position.

Strategic Importance of the Thawing Arctic

Canada is taking significant measures to protect its interests in the rapidly changing Arctic region as the fabled Northwest Passage becomes increasingly navigable due to climate change. According to reports, the passage that once claimed the lives of 19th-century explorers now welcomes thousands of tourists annually aboard cruise ships, with nine vessels expected to dock this year alone at Gjoa Haven, an Inuit community central to the region’s history.