Michael Byers, to a degree is correct. The degree is that Canada also needs to replace her aging icebreaker fleet. One must recognize that there is no single platform, except perhaps a nuclear submarine, that can or will either mitigate threats to our northern sovereignty or establish that sovereignty. Canada requires a mix of systems and platforms capable of surveillance and reaction in the undersea, surface and air environments. The plan to build the Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessel should be seen as but one part of a comprehensive national plan to reinforce our northern sovereignty.
Given the lack of interest by recent previous governments the fact that the current government has taken this step should be seen as positive. Rather then decrying this initiative one would hope that academics would embrace the initiative but argue for an overall multi-year northern strategy that includes legislation, enforcement as well as the tools necessary to assert our sovereignty.
