Canada's future is tied to its ability to defend its land and waters, including the Arctic, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Wednesday aboard a navy ship in Frobisher Bay near Iqaluit.
Harper arrived on the frigate HMCS Toronto by helicopter to observe Operation Nanook, the Canadian Forces' annual sovereignty exercise in the eastern Arctic.
The prime minister said Operation Nanook is Canada's most ambitious sovereignty exercise, adding that it's underway as other countries are probing northern Canada by sea and by air.
"With immense natural wealth and the growing potential for new global trade routes, the strategic importance of Canada's Arctic is heightened as never before," Harper told reporters and military personnel aboard the frigate.
Harper repeated his oft-quoted line about Arctic sovereignty — "use it or lose it" — saying a national government's foremost responsibility is to protect the integrity of its country's borders.
The prime minister later boarded Canada's only operational submarine, HMCS Corner Brook, which dove underwater for an hour-long anti-submarine warcraft exercise in the mouth of Frobisher Bay.
Two CF-18 fighter jets also took part in Wednesday's exercise, which was also observed by Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walt Natynczyk.
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