Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is proposing a joint Canada-U.S. security base in the Arctic.JASON FRANSON/The Canadian Press
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is proposing Canada deepen collaboration with the United States on Arctic security and aerospace defence by establishing a joint NORAD military base in the Canadian north.
In a statement Thursday, Ms. Smith said she raised this idea with fellow premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at their meeting earlier this week.
This is one of two ideas Ms. Smith raised during a Wednesday meeting between the premiers and Mr. Trudeau — the other being her proposal to create a Canadian “border czar,” as she revealed shortly after that conference call.
“To further bolster Canada–U.S. arctic security, I asked my provincial and federal counterparts in the First Ministers’ Meeting to consider establishing a joint Canada-U.S. NORAD region base in Northern Canada, similar to the Canadian NORAD Region (CANR) headquarters in Winnipeg,” the Premier said in a statement.
“The U.S. has emphasized the need for immediate measures on border security, and l stressed the importance of Canada taking that demand seriously – beginning with the immediate appointment of a Canadian border czar to work with the U.S. on securing our shared border from Fentanyl dealers and illegal migrants.”
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened 25-per-cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico as early as Feb. 1 unless they do more to secure their borders against illegal migration and fentanyl smuggling into the United States.
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Danielle Smith proposes joint Canada-U.S. NORAD military base in Far North – The Globe and Mail
