2010

AFAC POSITION PAPER 01/2010 – Issue:  The Need for a Northern Surveillance Strategy. It is generally accepted that global warming is causing increased attention in the North, given the possibility of increased access to resources, a greater level of activity overall, and the fact that Arctic nations may now feel that there is a greater threat to their security.  The North is increasingly perceived to have great value to these nations, Canada included.  In the words of Dr. Rob Huebert, an expert in this area, “the main Arctic states are developing new policies that focus on both their foreign and their defence policies in the region…Notwithstanding their proclamations of cooperation, the Arctic states are now rearming.”   The Canada First Defence Strategy directs the CF to “have the capacity to exercise control over and defend Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic.”   This includes the need to “Provide surveillance of Canadian territory and air and maritime approaches.” Messages:  With increasing interest in the North, Canadian capability to monitor and protect our sovereignty is becoming increasingly important to our security, economic and social interests. Surveillance of the North is key to ensuring sovereignty and a holistic approach is needed to assess needs and field a capable system. Aerospace capabilities are fundamental to Northern surveillance and related technologies should be exploited to the extent possible to satisfy the requirement.

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EXPOSÉ DE POSITION DE L’AFAC 01/2010 – Enjeu :  Nécessité d’une stratégie de surveillance pour le Nord. En général, on s’entend pour affirmer que le réchauffement climatique attire une plus grande attention dans le Nord, étant donné la possibilité d’un accès accru aux ressources, une élévation du niveau global d’activité, et le fait que les pays de l’Arctique peuvent maintenant considérer que leur sécurité est exposée à une menace grandissante. De plus en plus, le Nord est perçu comme revêtant une grande importance pour ces pays, y compris le Canada. Selon les propos de Rob Huebert (Ph. D.), spécialiste de ce domaine, « les principaux pays de l’Arctique élaborent actuellement de nouvelles politiques qui portent autant sur leurs affaires étrangères que sur la défense de leur région…lire le rapport ici