Competition for territory

Canada: Increased military presence in the far north

(Bild: AFP)

Climate change is making the polar regions increasingly interesting. In Canada, for example, numerous metals as well as oil and gas lie dormant in the ground that used to be covered in ice all year round. But other countries are also keeping an eye on the mineral resources and trade routes.

"The north and the regions in the polar region are becoming increasingly interesting. There is real competition for the areas. Not just from a military point of view. It's also primarily about access and trade routes," says Daniel Riviere from the Canadian Armed Forces.

Russia, the USA and China in particular are involved in the polar region, which is why Canada is now increasing its military presence in the far north. The land here is covered in snow and ice for most of the year

(Bild: AFP)

"Signal that we are guarding the land and the border"
"We are here to show our presence. We are signaling that we are guarding the land and the borders and that we are in a position to mine natural resources. You have to get here first. Many settlements here are very remote. There is little infrastructure and only short airstrips. There is little infrastructure and only short airstrips," says Marlon Mongeon from the Canadian Air Force.

However, there are often only reservists active in the remote areas. Many of them are members of indigenous communities. "In many communities here, there is no capacity for full-time employees. That's why there are rangers, to take the pressure off the military," explains Paul Skrypnyk, who is a ranger himself.

"They (the rangers, note) are like reserve units in the remote areas that can react quickly if there is an occasion, for example if the territorial integrity is threatened. Or if there is an accident with an airplane, or if a person goes missing," Skrypnyk told the AFP news agency.

Trudeau: Trump wants to "absorb" Canada
US President Donald Trump's controversial plans to integrate Canada into the USA recently caused a stir. According to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Trump wants to "absorb our country, and that is a reality". Trudeau cited Canada's wealth of natural resources as the reason for these plans.

"Not only does the Trump administration know how many crucial minerals we have, but that may even be why they keep talking about incorporating us and making us the 51st US state," Trudeau said at a business meeting in Toronto in early February.