Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s election platform will include a new permanent Arctic military base in Iqaluit and two new polar icebreaker ships for Canada’s navy as part of his plan to defend the northern border against China and Russia. He says he’ll drastically cut Ottawa’s $15.5-billion foreign aid budget to pay for the new base and boats, and that any new military spending in his platform will be in addition to the Liberals’ existing plan. (The Logic)

Talking point: Poilievre says Canada can no longer rely on the U.S. to help secure its northern sovereignty. President Donald Trump has pushed for NATO allies, including Canada, to increase their defence spending commitment from two per cent of their GDP to five per cent, which no NATO country currently meets. The Liberal government has set aside an additional $8.1 billion toward Canada’s military over five years, with a heavy emphasis on Arctic defence. Defence Minister Bill Blair recently said he’s working to accelerate the timeline to meet the two per cent goal.