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| Great White North |
| Frostbite is least of worries for Canada forces grappling with new Arctic reality |
| 2026-04-13 |
| [BBC] A simple row of spruce trees marked the finish line for Canadian army reservists and combat members after a marathon two months pushing through one of the harshest environments on Earth: Canada's vast Arctic. The patrol, which ended on Friday in Churchill, Manitoba, was the largest northern mission in the history of the Canadian Rangers - a branch of the Canadian Armed Forces responsible for monitoring the country's remote regions. For 5,200km (3,200 miles), they moved across the Arctic, following a route that had not been attempted in 80 years. They drove snowmobiles across ice-covered terrain, navigating blizzards and high winds as they travelled for hours between remote northern communities. Some nights, they camped on the ice in tents as temperatures plunged to -60C (-76F). On the final night, on the frozen shores of the Hudson Bay, they set up camp next to an abandoned trading post as the ice crackled beneath them while the northern lights danced above. There were constant hazards to be wary of, from polar bears to frostbite and cold-weather dehydration. The patrol is part of an annual Canadian Armed Forces operation to showcase Canada's military presence in the north. A total of 1,300 military personnel took part this year, with a mission to survey the land, learn more about climate change, unlock new travel passageways and test Arctic survival and warfare capabilities in a region that accounts for 40% of Canada's landmass and 70% of its coastline. The mission has taken on increased relevance amid the geopolitical scramble for the Arctic's resources as the climate changes. And it comes after US President Donald Trump threatened in January to annex Greenland, a Danish Arctic territory neighbouring Canada, ramping up tensions between Nato allies. These statements were met with alarm by politicians from across Europe and Canada, and led to a scramble by Nato members to show that they are still focused on defending the Arctic. It did? Good. Mark Carney, who was born in the Northwest Territories and is the first Canadian prime minister from the north, has unveiled a multi-billion dollar defence plan that includes upgrades to existing northern military sites.Can Canada afford such things, with all the nonsense already in the budget? But despite recent tensions, Trump's remarks have had "zero effect" on how Canadian forces and their allies work together, said Brig Gen Daniel Rivière, commander of the army task force responsible for Operation Nanook-Nunalivut.Related: Canadian Armed Forces: 2026-03-17 Canadian MP: Hundreds of IRGC terrorists living freely in Canada Canadian Armed Forces: 2026-02-25 Ukrainian Perspective: Invasion of Ukraine: February 24, 2026 Canadian Armed Forces: 2025-11-11 In a Not-So-Special Relationship Move-UK to Pause Certain Intelligence Sharing With US Over Cartel Boat Airstrikes |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #2 |
| Posted by: Grom the Affective 2026-04-13 10:25 |
| #1 |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2026-04-13 09:49 |