Poilievre promises new military base in Nunavut as part of Arctic defence plan [Video]

The federal Conservatives have taken the wraps off a portion of their plan for defence — specifically defending the Far North.

In Iqaluit on Monday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre took aim at the Russian military buildup on its side of the Arctic and growing Chinese designs on the region, which climate change is turning into a viable shipping lane.

He promised to double the size of the Canadian Ranger force, which acts as the army’s eyes and ears across the Arctic.

The Conservatives, Poilievre said, would also revive a plan to give the Royal Canadian Navy two armed heavy icebreakers to patrol the region, in addition to speeding up the delivery of heavy icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard. 

He also committed to building Canada’s first permanent base since the end of the Cold War by establishing Iqaluit, currently a forward operating location for the military, into a full-fledged base …