Arctic Symposium

“An Important International Crossroads”

Implementing Canada’s Arctic Priorities in Strong, Secure, Engaged

Symposium hosted by the Centre for National Security Studies,
Canadian Forces College

At Saint Paul University in Ottawa

10-11 October 2018

The Arctic region represents an important international crossroads where issues of climate change, international trade, and global security meet. Eight states – Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States – have territory north of 60°, while five of these states border the Arctic Ocean. Arctic states have long cooperated on economic, environmental, and safety issues, particularly through the Arctic Council, the premier body for cooperation in the region. All Arctic states have an enduring interest in continuing this productive collaboration.

-- Strong, Secure, Engaged (2017), p.50

Arctic Scene

In collaboration with Dr. Whitney Lackenbauer, Distinguished Visiting Professor, Canadian Forces College (January-June 2018); Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in the Study of the Canadian North.

Strong, Secure, Engaged, released in June 2017, showed that the Arctic remains an area of particular interest and focus to DND/CAF. “To succeed in an unpredictable and complex security environment,” the new defence policy committed to “increase CAF presence in the Arctic over the long-term and work cooperatively with Arctic partners,” reiterating longstanding images of the Arctic as a region undergoing massive change. Climate change, resource issues, undefined continental shelf boundaries, potential maritime transportation routes, and security concerns have factored significantly into the domestic and foreign policy agendas of Arctic states, non-Arctic states, and organizations.

This symposium recognizes that the Arctic security environment is complex, with overlapping political, legal, strategic, and commercial elements interacting in a dynamic system. Developed in consultation with the SSE leads, the symposium aims to benefit the Defence Team by bringing together stakeholders from DND/CAF, OGDAs, academic, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. While SSE provides a road-map for many Arctic initiatives (both specifically and in the context of broader global, continental, and domestic frameworks), this event will provide an important opportunity for participants to help discern the best ways to implement and operationalize this policy direction as concrete action, provide immediate access to leading-edge research, and test assumptions about the changing security environment (i.e., the shifting balance of power, the changing nature of conflict, the rapid evolution of technology, and environmental, social, and political change). Informed by robust discussions about the history, current drivers, and possible futures of the Arctic security environment, the symposium will aim to produce practical outcomes for policy makers and practitioners, including identifying priority areas for further research, analysis, and relationship building.

SSE PRIORITIES - ENHANCING ARCTIC CAPABILITY

To enhance the Canadian Armed Forces’ ability to operate in the Arctic and adapt to a changed security environment, the Defence team will:

  1. Enhance the mobility, reach and footprint of the Canadian Armed Forces in Canada’s North to support operations, exercises, and the Canadian Armed Forces’ ability to project force into the region.
  2. Align the Canadian Air Defence Identification Zone (CADIZ) with our sovereign airspace.
  3. Enhance and expand the training and effectiveness of the Canadian Rangers to improve their functional capabilities within the Canadian Armed Forces.
  4. Collaborate with the United States on the development of new technologies to improve Arctic surveillance and control, including the renewal of the North Warning System.
  5. Conduct joint exercises with Arctic allies and partners and support the strengthening of situational awareness and information sharing in the Arctic, including with NATO.

Day One – Wednesday, 10 October

0900-0915 hrs
Welcoming Remarks

Melinda Mansour, Director, Centre for National Security Studies; Dr. Whitney Lackenbauer, Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in the Study of the Canadian North; and Brigadier-General Brian McPherson, Commandant, Canadian Forces College

0915-1000 hrs
Introductory Keynote: SSE and the Arctic – An Overview

Mr. Peter Hammerschmidt, Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy)

1000-1030 hrs – Health Break

1030-1200 hrs
Session 1: Setting the Arctic Context: Geostrategic Considerations, Geopolitical Drivers, and Domestic Priorities

Chair: Honorary Captain (Navy) Tom Paddon, Chairman, Baffinland Iron Mines Ltd.

  • Dr. Rob Huebert, Associate Professor, Political Science, University of Calgary
  • Wayne Walsh, Director General, Northern Strategic Policy, Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
  • Jutta Wark, Director, Circumpolar Affairs Division, Global Affairs Canada
  • Rear-Admiral Brian Santarpia, Chief of Staff Operations, Canadian Joint Operations Command

1200-1300 hrs – Lunch

1300-1430 hrs
Session 2: Arctic Surveillance, Control, and Continental Defence

Chair: Dr. Stéphane Roussel, École nationale d’administration publique, Gatineau

  • Major-General Randy “Church” Kee (USAF retired), Executive Director, Arctic Domain Awareness Center, Anchorage, Alaska
  • Lieutenant-Commander Michael Bielby, J3 North America, Canadian Joint Operations Command
  • Colonel Pierre Beauchamp, Acting Director Air Plans, Royal Canadian Air Force
  • Dr. Andrea Charron, Political Studies, University of Manitoba

SSE 107. Align the Canadian Air Defence Identification Zone (CADIZ) with our sovereign airspace.

SSE 109. Collaborate with the United States on the development of new technologies to improve Arctic surveillance and control, including the renewal of the North Warning System.

1430-1500 hrs – Health Break

1500-1630 hrs
Session 3: NATO and the Arctic

Chair: Dr. Rob Huebert, Associate Professor, Political Science, University of Calgary

  • Lieutenant-Colonel Dave Gowdy – J5 Continental, Canadian Joint Operations Command
  • Mr. Andreas Østhagen, Research Fellow, Fridthof Nansen Institute, Oslo, Norway
  • Ms. Heather Conley, Senior Vice President for Europe, Eurasia, and the Arctic, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC

SSE 110. Conduct joint exercises with Arctic allies and part­ners and support the strengthening of situational awareness and information sharing in the Arctic, including with NATO.

Day Two – Thursday, 11 October

0830-1000 hrs
Session 4: Enhancing Arctic Mobility and Operations

Chair: Dr. Adam Lajeunesse, Irving Shipbuilding Chair, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS

  • Lieutenant-Colonel Tim Halfkenny, Former DCOS Ops and Plans JTF(N), current Commanding Officer, 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group , Yellowknife
  • Major Gary Johnson, CAF Arctic Training Centre,  Canadian Army Doctrine Training Centre
  • Commander Michele Tessier, Commanding Officer, HMCS Margaret Brooke, Royal Canadian Navy
  • Colonel Pete Allan, Deputy Chief of Staff Continental Operations, Canadian Joint Operations Command

SSE 106. Enhance the mobility, reach and footprint of the Canadian Armed Forces in Canada’s North to support operations, exercises, and the Canadian Armed Forces’ ability to project force into the region.

1000-1030 hrs – Health Break

1030-1200 hrs
Session 5: “Indigenous Communities are at the Heart of Canada’s North”: Leveraging Northern Knowledge and Diversity

Chair: Dr. Whitney Lackenbauer, Trent University

  • Lieutenant-Colonel Tim Halfkenny, Commanding Officer, 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group , Yellowknife
  • Major Conrad Schubert, J9, Civil Military Cooperation, Joint Task Force (North)
  • Lieutenant-Colonel Donnie Oulton, Deputy Chief of Staff Strategic Plans; National Cadet & Junior Canadian Rangers Support Group
  • Sergeant Kevin Kullaulik, 1 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group

SSE 108. Enhance and expand the training and effectiveness of the Canadian Rangers to improve their functional capabilities within the Canadian Armed Forces.

1200-1300 hrs – Lunch

1300-1615 hrs
Session 6: Arctic Defence & Security Challenges for Innovation

Lead Facilitators:

  • Dione Scott, Policy Analyst, Policy Horizons Canada
  • Roscoe Klinck, Portfolio Manager - Innovation Networks, IDEaS
  • Sean Norton, Portfolio Manager - Ideation, IDEaS

The Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program was announced in Canada’s new defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, and officially launched in April 2018. The program commits to $1.6 billion for defence and security innovation over the next 20 years. The goal is to help the government improve its capacity to innovate by working with Canada’s broader innovation community to provide answers to complex defence and security challenges.

IDEaS is considering launching a Call for Proposals to obtain answers to some of Canada’s toughest defence and security challenges related to the Arctic over the medium to long-term. Policy Horizons Canada and IDEaS will co-facilitate a brainstorming exercise to identify pressing themes and topics. Participants will then be asked to explore and discuss future innovation challenges before being asked to vote on a final set of challenges. A wrap-up discussion will follow that will allow participants to discuss findings and observations from the exercise.

1615-1630 hrs
Session 7: Final wrap-up by the organizers.

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