Yukon Arctic defence council calls for more attention to infrastructure in new report

A council dedicated to advising the Yukon on Arctic security is recommending the territory focus on its infrastructure to be better prepared against threats. 

The Yukon Arctic Security Advisory Council, established in the fall of 2023, released a report Tuesday with suggestions to the territory to improve its defence planning and capacity in part by investing in transportation and communication technologies. 

Ken Coates, the council's chair, said that the Yukon is safe now but that governments and residents should be taking security and defence seriously. 

"It'll matter when it matters and I'd sure like to be prepared when it does," he said at a news conference Tuesday. 

The council's report notes "Russian aggression in Europe, melting sea ice, Chinese air balloons, critical minerals," as some of the factors raising the geopolitical stakes in the Canadian Arctic.

"The Canadian North is not undefended, but it is not well-prepared for the strategic realities of the 21st century," the report states.

Coates said that he doesn't want to generate fear, but said that improving roads, internet capacity and creating redundancies allows the territory to be ready for threats like foreign entities or natural disasters like wildfire.

He's also suggesting that the territory establish a community public safety program to engage Yukoners to train as generalists against environmental, technological and military threats. According to the report, that would create on-the-ground, first responders with expertise in their communities. 

Coates, along with Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai, pointed to the suspected balloon shot down in February 2023 as a lesson in the value of Yukoners in protecting their own territory. 

Pillai said that one challenge was in leaders' ability to communicate with each other and that community members were key in their response. 

The community public safety program would help to leverage that strength, Coates said. 

Yukon coming to feds with perspective

Many of the recommendations spoke to change from the federal government. The report suggests more frequent and more challenging training for the Canadian Rangers in the Yukon, establishing a Whitehorse-based Canadian Armed Forces reserve unit and collaborating with Alaska on defence research, development and infrastructure. 

That's something Pillai says the territory is already on top of and working towards with the American government investing in upgrades to Yukon sections of the Alaska Highway.

Pillai said that, while much of what's in the report are areas the territory is already focused on, the recommendations inform the Yukon's ability to collaborate with the federal government with a perspective rather than being told what's going to happen. 

He said that in addition to preparing for potential threats, it's also about seizing on an opportunity for Yukoners. 

With the recent election of a new American president, he predicts a greater focus on defence spending and said that Yukon has a chance to present a statement of how the North can contribute defensively — and economically with critical minerals. 

With that clear vision, Coates said he hopes the rest of the country will "wake up" to northern responsibilities and potential.