Something shifted dramatically this week. Canada’s Prime Minister joined German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr in a major military show of might in the Arctic. It was publicly described as a NATO exercise to stand up to Russian aggression. But the real message was intended for the United States. The PM said so in clear language about Trump’s threats against Denmark and Greenland.
He then went on to say, “We are prepared to defend the far north.” Part of his commitment is upwards of 40 billion dollars of investment in northern bases. Add to this a recent $1 billion commitment to drones and domestic air defence, and commitments to establish Canadian-based satellite and communication systems. Let’s face it, those drones won’t be aimed at Russia. All this is taking place as Canada continues to do a delicate dance with the United States. The PM understands he needs to be careful in how he handles Trump. But two clear factors are at play: the first is the unprecedented shift away from the American military “umbrella.” The second is the sense of urgency with which Canada is moving. Canada is behind the eight ball. Our military, technology and digital world are deeply entwined with the United States. I have spoken with military thinkers who are concerned that our communications infrastructure remains very vulnerable to interference from our more powerful neighbour. A massive rewiring is required, and the time might be short. How MAGA and Project 2025 will respond to the military actions in the Arctic, remains to be seen. Trump has made clear that he will not allow any “interference” in what he considers his zone of influence – Greenland to the Gulf of Mexico. That interference seems to include us acting within our rights as a sovereign and independent nation. Just this past week, the Trump administration made statements that treated Canada as a mere point on the map of what Pete Hegseth has called Greater North America. The language is telling. Putin denigrated Ukrainian sovereignty, claiming it was part of Greater Russia. Now the White House is treating us as part of Greater North America. This move came as Trump continued denying that we have a legitimate head of state – referring to Prime Minister Carney as a mere governor. In the worldview of Project 2025, Canada and Greenland are vassal states. Their world view is dependent on Canada complying. What happens if Canada decides not to go along? Right now, Trump is distracted by the disastrous war in Iran. It is clear that there was no real plan, no endgame strategy, and no “what if” plan in case Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz. It may be that Trump is too caught up in the Iranian chaos to notice Canada’s declaration of military independence in the Arctic. But I wouldn’t bet on it. Our foreign policy is a clear repudiation of the Trump doctrine. There will be a show down, a reckoning. Since Trump came to power, his obsession with controlling Canada has never wavered. We are in a new and very dangerous cold war. Like Latvia, like Lithuania, like Estonia, like Poland, the Cold War threat is right on our border. Yes, there is one to the north of us, but the more immediate threat is within an hour’s drive of our nation’s capital. Thank you for reading Charlie Angus / The Resistance. If you’d like to upgrade to a paid subscription your support will help keep this project independent and sustainable. I’m grateful to have you here - thank you for your support.
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