Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. The answer is the government is not ignoring this threat, quite the contrary. The government is making landmark investments to increase our ability to operate in and defend the Arctic. These include a $38.6 billion plan to modernize our continental defences. This is the most significant update to Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, capabilities in almost four decades, colleagues.

The government has awarded a $122-million contract to strengthen the CFS Alert. It is conducting joint exercises in the Arctic. It is purchasing six Arctic and offshore patrol ships and it is enhancing surveillance and intelligence capability in the Arctic with 88 fighter jets.

The Canadian government will remain firm in defending our sovereignty in the North, the peoples and communities in the North and our national interests.