On limited uses

CanWest reports that the Cons appear set to break one of their few promises which actually deserved support, choosing to set up smaller military refuelling sites rather than building a promised deep-water port in Canada's Arctic region:

(T)he Harper government appears to be backing off its election promise to build a deep water port in the Arctic, as well as an ambitious plan to build a fleet of armed icebreakers. Instead, according to the government's Canada First Defence Strategy paper, it will construct a forward operating refuelling and berthing site for navy ships and build six Arctic patrol vessels...

Now, it's arguable that the icebreaker plan was worth scrapping - particularly given the likelihood that by the time the fleet is built, the amount of ice left to break will be far less of a factor in the ability of Canadians and others to move around the Arctic region.

But as the Arctic becomes more accessible, it'll also become a virtual certainty that shipping will start happening through the Northwest Passage. Which in turn will lead to more opportunities for an improved supply of goods to Canada's northern areas, and perhaps a significant increase in the settlement of the Arctic coastline.

Unfortunately, though, such opportunities will require some infrastructure available for both commercial and military use - not sites designed solely for the use of Canada's navy. And the Cons' backtracking on the deep-water port will only send the signal that Canada's government isn't interested in the area for anything but defence purposes...which can only send a negative message both to current northern residents, and to the suppliers who otherwise might be interested in improving the accessibility of goods in the area.