Overview

• Pierre Poilievre unveiled his 'Canada First' Arctic defense plan, which includes establishing a permanent military base in Iqaluit, Nunavut, if elected.
• The proposed base would serve as a hub for F-35 fighter jets and Poseidon P-8 aircraft to enhance surveillance, search and rescue, and anti-submarine operations.
• Poilievre's plan also calls for doubling the 1st Patrol Group of the Canadian Rangers from 2,000 to 4,000 members to strengthen northern defense capabilities.
• Two additional polar icebreakers would be acquired for the Royal Canadian Navy, supplementing the two already under construction for the Coast Guard.
• Funding for these initiatives would come from significant cuts to foreign aid, targeting spending Poilievre claims supports 'dictators, terrorists, and global bureaucracies.'