Most roads in Canada’s 51 Inuit communities are unpaved and can only accommodate smaller aircraft. Our communities have huge infrastructure deficits that preclude the Canadian military from mobilizing effectively in a time of crisis, he said. Obed said that exclusion also overlooks one of the Inuit’s core contributions to Arctic sovereignty, the long-standing pan-Inuit ties across the Arctic despite national borders. We’re very fortunate that we have mobilized together across Greenland, Canada, Alaska, and the Chukotka region of Russia through the Inuit Circumpolar Council, he said. (Arctic Frontiers) Photo: (Arctic Frontiers)Obed’s comments followed his appearance at the Arctic Frontiers conference, where he took part in a panel on infrastructure investment amid shifting geopolitical pressures in the North.

Source: CBC News February 06, 2026 23:34 UTC