Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper shakes hands with Canadian Forces Chief of Defence Staff Walt Natynczyk as Minister of National Defence Peter MacKay looks on as he arrives in Churchill, Manitoba Thursday August 23, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
August 24, 2012 - 4:00 AM
CHURCHILL, Man. - An eco-tourism boat carrying suspected illegal immigrants who pose a danger to Canadians is the focus of the military’s summer operation today in Hudson Bay.
It’s the 12th Operation Nanook exercise since the Canadian Forces began carrying them out in the Arctic in 2005.
And, like the last few summers, the prime minister is along for the ride.
The Conservatives have set aside substantial funds for the military’s Northern capabilities though Harper acknowledges many of the projects are taking a long time to actually be completed.
And recent reports suggested that the Defence Department doesn’t actually see military threats in the North.
But Harper says it’s critical for Canada to be capable in the Arctic for all kinds of reasons, not just military ones.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012