Jets alone won’t protect the North

Dear Editor:

Remember those new jets the federal government is planning to buy from the United States to replace its older generation of fighter jets? Well consider this: information from a Royal Canadian Air Force report and from a Ipsos poll suggest opportunities for wider and more integrated options for military use.

Documents obtained by the Ottawa Citizen indicates the Royal Canadian Air Force has looked at a major expansion of the airfield at Resolute Bay in Nunavut as it considers transforming it into a key base for Artic operations. “The construction of a 3,000-metre paved runway, fuel installations, hangars and other infrastructure has been proposed for the future as part of an effort to support government and military operations in the North.”

In June, Ipsos pollsters :told generals and admirals that while Canadians see their military as soldiers and not ‘as armed aid workers,’ they also want them to be able to handle a variety of missions, with one poll showing a strong emphasis for roles at home.”

We know the Canadian north has large economic potential. Though I do not know how extensive the federal presence is in the North, I believe integrating its presence with military, economic and the human resource potential of the North is a practical consideration.

Arctic dwellers know the North and the potential of further integrating these skills with the military (which has already happened) has benefits that can extend to the economic and to the training sphere in consultation with existing northern jurisdictions and communities.

The exclusive use of ultramodern fighter jets to enhance Canadian sovereignty in the North is, I suggest, a highly questionable strategy. As our recent world history indicates, from Vietnam, to Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, air power has its use but this use is limited. It is ultimately citizens and military on the ground in combination with diplomatic and governmental resources that typically set the stage for long-term national security.

Integrating Canada’s military spending with aspects of economic and social development in the north cannot but help in making better use of our sometimes limited human and financial resources.

George Jason