Canada’s Arctic is central to our national identity as a northern nation. For thirteen years, previous Liberal governments were asleep at the switch and did nothing to assert Canada’s domain over the North.
Since coming into office, Conservatives have developed a four-pronged Arctic agenda – economic development, national sovereignty, Northern input and control, environmental protection - that will help Canada extend and defend its Arctic sovereignty.
Conservatives are establishing sovereignty over the Arctic to build a stronger, safer, better Canada.
The Conservative Record
A four-pronged Arctic Agenda:
 | Economic development – unleashing the resource-based potential of the North; |
| National sovereignty – protecting our land, airspace and territorial waters; |
| Northern input and control – ending paternalistic federal policies of past governments; |
| Environmental protection – protecting the unique Northern environment; |
With concrete results:
| Construction of eight Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships; |
| Construction of an Arctic deep water port; |
| Increased northern surveillance by the Canadian Forces; |
| Invested $20.5 million into climate change research in the Arctic; and |
| Contributed $150 million for scientific research to coincide with the International Polar Year. |
The Liberal Record
 | Liberals gutted military funding and reduced Canada’s capability to patrol the North. |
| Between 1993 and 2002, the Liberal Government did not send a single Canadian Forces ship into Arctic waters. |
The NDP Record
| The 2006 NDP platform did not contain a single mention of the Arctic. |
For Canadians, the choice is clear: strong leadership and the strengthening of Canada’s Arctic sovereignty with the Conservatives or weak leadership and a weakening of Canada’s Arctic sovereignty with the Liberals.
