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Russia is escalating its military and economic presence in the warming Arctic, reopening Soviet-era bases and expanding its nuclear icebreaker fleet to control the Northern Sea Route. This buildup presents a direct challenge to Canadian sovereignty, particularly over the Northwest Passage, and exposes decades of underinvestment in northern defence. In response, Ottawa is accelerating a multi-billion-dollar modernization of its continental defence systems with the U.S. through NORAD. The strategic shift transforms the High North from a remote frontier into a potential flashpoint, forcing Canada to reassert its presence in a critical region.