Danielle Smith calls for Canada-U.S. Norad base in the North
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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is calling on her counterparts to consider a new joint Canada-U.S. Norad base in Northern Canada to bolster Arctic security. The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is calling for a joint Canada-U.S. Norad military base in Northern Canada, expanding the organization's aerospace and maritime defence efforts.
In a Thursday statement, Smith said she pitched the idea at a meeting on Wednesday with fellow premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
"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, Manitoba," she wrote.
Smith has been urging more collaboration with the U.S., as President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods starting Saturday.
“The U.S. has emphasized the need for immediate measures on border security, and l stressed the importance of Canada taking that demand seriously," said Smith of Wednesday's meeting.
She has called for Ottawa to immediately appoint a Canadian border czar to work with the U.S. on securing the shared border.
While Ottawa has pledged $1.3 billion for its border security plan, Smith's provincial government is putting $29 million into beefing up surveillance of its shared border with Montana.
Howard Lutnick, Trump's pick to lead the U.S. Department of Commerce, told the U.S. Senate on Wednesday that he sees the tariffs as a way to get Canada to take action on border security, but they could be followed by other tariffs.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2025.
Comments
There already is a NORAD base. Alert is on the NE tip of Ellesmere Island. Perhaps it could be expanded and two or three other military bases added along the Northwest Passage, but Smith probably doesn't know much about the issue.