Experts ask if Canada has enough Arctic diplomats
As Canada plans an ambitious expansion of defence and economic activity in the Arctic, regional experts are asking whether it has enough diplomats to build the ties it wants.
Canada is planning an expansion in defence and economic activity in the Arctic, but experts are questioning if there are enough diplomats to build the necessary ties in the region. Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, stated that the Arctic is a geopolitical hotspot and the department does not have a large enough pool of Arctic diplomats.
In 2023, the Liberal government closed the Canadian International Arctic Centre, a hub for diplomacy in the region, citing high costs in Oslo and anticipated savings of $550,000 per year. Artur Wilczynski, a former ambassador to Oslo, called the closure "incoherent" and emphasized the need for a cohort of people with deep knowledge of the region.
The Liberals have since appointed an Arctic ambassador and promised new consulates in Greenland and Alaska, but the operating cost of the Greenland consulate is estimated at $8.76 million over five years. Marc Lanteigne, a political scientist from Montreal, noted that Canada has been making itself more visible in Nordic capitals, but more administrative and political footprints are needed to fully engage with the region.
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