Introduction

Building upon a June 2017 workshop on Security in the Arctic Borderlands Region, the North American Marine and Environmental Security Workshop hosted by ADAC in September 2018, and the Arctic Command Arctic Symposium held in November 2019 in Fairbanks, NAADSN and ADAC are pleased to co-host a follow-on workshop to focus on specific initiatives that will improve understanding and enhance collaboration between Canada-US Arctic security professionals.

The Arctic region represents an important international crossroads where issues of climate change and the environment, international trade, and global security meet. State and commercial actors from around the world seek to share in the long-term benefits of an accessible Arctic. Some of this increased activity in the region has the potential to threaten US and Canadian sovereign interests, including activities outside of the traditional military realm such as increased growing foreign investment, tourism and scientific research. Focusing on emerging trends in medium- and long-term North American Arctic security environment, the mix of academics and practitioners at this workshop will anticipate potential North American Arctic futures to identify potential gaps and shortfalls in current strategies, capabilities, and research. The first day will explore the current context and coming challenges: the changing physical environment and climate; economic opportunities; surface and maritime transportation networks; fishing and resource development activities; infrastructure and communication needs; foreign economic and military interests in Canada’s North; and symmetrical and asymmetrical threats to North American security. The second day will focus on contemplating the future of North American Arctic research to frame gaps and shortfalls. What strategic approaches, policy and resourcing decisions are needed to reduce or mitigate risk? How can we best develop solutions? What outcomes should we seek to address? How should we understand threats to safety and security, priorities in addressing strategic challenges, needs and enablers (such as development of infrastructure and associated capabilities to posture increased capabilities to address increased human activities), local and place-based views to improve collaboration with other Arctic nations to counter agreed-to threats, and vulnerabilities in preparedness and response?

This two-day workshop consists of panel presentations and breakout group activities. Notes taken during the meeting will be formed into a summary report which will be shared with NAADSN and ADAC networks, including DND/CAF, DHS, and the broader community of CANUS Arctic security professionals. Academic participants may be invited to submit articles or book chapters based on their presentations for a special issue of a journal or edited book.

The following is a tentative agenda for the workshop.

Workshop Agenda (Draft)

25 March 2020

1700-1900 Alaska Time Workshop Welcoming reception.

Glacier Brewhouse, Anchorage AK

www.glacierbrewhouse.com737 W 5th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501

26 March 2020

Workshop Day 1: Location: UAA Gorsuch Commons Conference Center, University of Alaska Anchorage (see associated map)0730-0830: Workshop check-in, continental breakfast served.0830-0845: Administrative remarks by Dr. Whitney Lackenbauer, Network

Lead, North American Arctic Defence and Security Network, Trent University, and Maj Gen (Ret), Church Kee, USAF, Executive Director, Arctic Domain Awareness Center, University of Alaska

0845-0930: The Confluence of Canadian and American Arctic Interests

Canada has recently released the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework (ANPF) to help focus and guide Government of Canada engagement in the North. How does this framework compare to similar Arctic strategic frameworks of the United States and other Arctic and near-Arctic states?

P. Whitney Lackenbauer, Canada’s Northern Policy Framework: Putting Defence in its Place

James Fergusson (Univ. of Manitoba), Beyond Modernization: The Future of NORAD

0930-1030: The Arctic Security Environment: Deepening, Broadening, and Sharpening our Analysis

Shifting power dynamics in the Arctic include increased militarization, Chinese activity, Russian actions and responses, and engagement with ‘partners’ considered adversaries in other venues. What are the foreign economic and military interests in the North American Arctic? How do Canada and US involvement with Five Eyes, and NATO affect other cooperative relationships in Arctic?

Adam Lajeunesse, “China and the Arctic: The Need for a Nuanced Research Agenda”

TBD, “Aggressively Status Quo in the Arctic”? Russian Arctic Interests TBD, The Forgotten North American Arctic: Greenland in a Continental

Defence and Security Context TBD, NATO and the Arctic: Relevant to North America?

1030-1045: Break

1045-1200: Environmental Change and Maritime Activity from the Bering Strait to the Beaufort and Beyond: Risks, Capability Gaps, and Partnership Opportunities (roundtable and discussion)Scope of session to be determined in consultation with ADAC

Rob Huebert, University of Calgary Additional presentations from Alaska representatives.

1145-1300 Lunch

1300-1315 Introduction to Strategic Foresight Activity 15 minute briefing by Lackenbauer and Dr. Nancy Teeple (Fulbright,

Norwich University)

1315-1500 Strategic Foresight Activity: Converting Themes and Trends into Indicators of Threat/Risk

Over the last two months, the North American and Arctic Defence and Security Network (NAADSN) has analyzed the NATO Strategic Foresight Analysis (SFA) findings to determine their applicability to Canadian Arctic defence and security policy and to help frame a conceptual model that anticipates and conveys an understanding of the future Arctic security environment. This will assist Canadian and American defence and security practitioners to create indicators of changing risk or threat levels.

In advance of the ACCUSARS workshop, participants will be provided with a short, draft narrative (akin to the NATO SFA theme chapters) describing

relationships between NATO SFA trends and Arctic defence and security implications across various scales (global, regional, national) and, ideally, identifying key indicators that might suggest changing risk or threat levels in the defence and security domains.

o These will be used to produce a report on the applicability of NATO SFA trends to North American Arctic defence and security futures, with a goal of helping to develop coordinated strategies to anticipate and respond to potential risks, as well as taking advantage of opportunities that arise from a rapidly changing, complex security environment.

In five (5) breakout groups, ACCUSARS participants will assess the North American Arctic defence and security implications of one theme described in the 2017 NATO SFA (political, human, technology, economics/resources, and environment) in detail.

1500-1515 Break1515-1600 Strategic Foresight Activity - reports and discussion

1600-1700 The Homeland is Not a Sanctuary: Capabilities, Strategic Messaging, and Public Opinion (roundtable)

The Commander NORAD, in recent testimonies to congress, has argued that the North American homeland is longer a sanctuary owing to evolving threats. Are these threats well known to the Canadian and American populace, politicians, and by policy makers?

What is the realistic scope of responsibility that CANUS Defence Teams can assume in the Arctic, particularly given resource constraints and competing global demands? What additional resources might be required to meet current and future expectations?

o Nancy Teeple (Norwich University)o Others TBD

1800-2030 Workshop Dinner 49th State Brewing Company Anchoragewww.49statebrewing.com 717 W 3rd Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501

27 March 2019

Workshop Day 2: UAA Gorsuch Commons Conference Center, University of Alaska Anchorage (see associated map).

0830-0845: Administrative remarks by Dr. Whitney Lackenbauer, Network Lead, North American Arctic Defence and Security Network, Trent University, and Maj Gen (Ret), Church Kee, USAF, Executive Director, Arctic Domain Awareness Center, University of Alaska

0845-1000: Enhancing Arctic Partnerships: Are DHS, DoD, and DND/CAF policies and strategies compatible with other Arctic partners? How can relationships deliver benefits and services more effectively? (Roundtable)

How can CANUS relationships be more effective at delivering benefits and services? Are our policies and strategies compatible? How can the US and Canada work with allies and partners who may have a different interpretation of the level of risk associated with activities in the non-military realm? What other infrastructure do Canada and the US need in the Arctic? How can government departments and agencies leverage each other’s capabilities, as well as those of the private sector, to achieve a holistic presence and situational awareness in the North American Arctic?o Lackenbauer or JTFN rep - interdepartmental - Arctic Security Working

Group (Canada)o US exampleo NORAD / PJBDo Paddon (Baffinland) – Private sector perspective

1000-1015: Break

1015-11:15: Safety and Security in Remote Arctic Regions: Assessing Vulnerabilities and Priorities (roundtable)

What are the interests of Indigenous communities living in the North American Arctic, and how can military and non-military activities in the region contribute to an improved standard of living for these communities?

o JTFN – LCol Ray Chaisson (TBC)o Andrew Breshnahan, Qikiqtani Inuit Association (TBC)o Alaska perspective

1115-1215: The Canadian Rangers: A Model for Alaska? Moderator: Bianca Romagnoli (PhD candidate, UCLA)

o ASDF and/or Alaska National Guard repso P. Whitney Lackenbauer, “Measuring the Success of the Canadian

Rangers”

o Ranger MCpl Baba Pedersen (Kugluktuk, Nunavut)

1215-1330 Lunch

1330-1430 Operational Insights: Gaps, Seams, and Best Practices What are the role of land, sea, air, and/or special operations forces in

demonstrating sovereignty, enforcing laws, and exercising deterrence against activities undermining CANUS interests in the North American Arctic? What forms and level of surveillance are required? How do we operate in this environment to achieve these effects? How can CANUS practitioner’s better share “best practices”?

DHS / CBSA Coast Guard Military Community-level SAR and emergency response (Lackenbauer and

Pedersen – Kitikmeot SAR)

1430-1545 Northern American Arctic Defence and Security: Discerning a Three-Year Research Plan

Given the changing nature of the threats in the North American Arctic, including those non-military in nature, are we investing in the right capabilities? How can research (particularly in the social sciences) help to identify and develop other capabilities that would support CANUS objectives in the Arctic?

Three breakout groups to discuss research priorities for NA defence and security that transcend a particular sector (e.g. government, academia)

1545-1600 Break

1600-1645 Research Plan Ideas - report back Participants will prioritize projects using online tools.

1645-1700: Final workshop wrap-up remarks by Lackenbauer and Kee

Workshop venue. University of Alaska Anchorage

Workshop method. Panel presentations followed by breakout group reflections, which is captured and promulgated via a comprehensive report.

Workshop objective. Workshop planners seek insights from workshop participants for their professional and informed perspectives in order to create a

report of concerns, opportunities, recommendations and inquiries to address anticipated challenges to the medium and longer term North American Arctic security environment. Notes taken during the meeting will be formed into a summary report, allowing coordination across the community of planners. Once finalized, the report will be provided to the community of CANUS Arctic Security Professionals. The report will also be shared with the workshop planner’s respective Arctic Research Community of Interest. A tailored journal article and/or other deliverables may also be suitable follow-on considerations.

Workshop logistics. Workshop planners anticipate a workshop sized at approximately 30-35 people.

Attire: Workshop planners recommend “Alaska business casual” clothing for the workshop (Business casual adapted for the season)

Workshop Logistics Information

University of Alaska Anchorage map, highlighting Gorsuch Commons (below)

Hotel Accommodations: A Hotel Room Block has been set at the Residence Inn by Marriott Anchorage

Midtown in support of the workshop. Block runs from 30 March to 4 April. Last day to book to get the group rate ($112/night) is 9 March 2020.

Here’s the link: Book your group rate for ADAC Workshop

Address: 1025 E 35th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99508

Phone: (907) 563-9844

. Meals and beverages:

Reception, Dinner and Lunches will be provided.

Transportation: Air: Ted Stevens International Airport. Major Airlines with international

connections to Continental United States in late October: Alaska and Delta Airlines. Flights from Europe: Icelandic Airlines (via Seattle). Flights from Washington DC normally connect via Minneapolis, Seattle or Portland, OR.

Ground: UAA Shuttle, rental cars (via Ted Stevens airport), Taxi and now Uber (although limited).

Weather: Late March is the very early stages of springtime in Anchorage. The mean

high is 40 degrees F and the low is 26 degrees F. Visitors can generally expect clear weather, with occasional snow or light rain. Anticipate melting snow and generally slippery conditions for walking.