CANADA LOOKS TO REINFORCE ARTIC SOVEREIGNTY Through DIPLOMACY, MILITARY Says MINISTER

By Chandrayee Roy Choudhury, Canada: National Defence Minister Anita Anand is planning a trip to the Arctic, as she gathers her allied counterparts in Arctic countries for a joint discussion on the security of the region in light of Russian aggression in Ukraine. 

Anand told she spoke to all three territorial premiers on Friday about her intention to visit. The minister said she is also having ongoing discussions with the defence ministers of Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark.

"What is so important is the collective will to act together as allies regarding Arctic sovereignty and I will be gathering all of these ministers together for a joint discussion," Anand said. 

Anand said she will soon introduce a spending plan for modernizing the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD), a bilateral organization between the U.S. and Canada created to defend the continent from air attack. 

"It is extremely important for NORAD modernization that we have these continued discussions," she said.