Beyond the 60th Parallel: Canada’s Special Operations Forces and Arctic Defence (Human Dimensions in Foreign Policy, Military Studies, and Security Studies #23)

No longer regarded by major powers as a remote frontier, the Arctic has become a critical arena of strategic competition, with Russia and China advancing their interests while Canada faces the challenges of vast geography, limited infrastructure, and distinct northern realities. Focusing on the evolving role of Canadian Special Operations Forces (CANSOF), Beyond the 60th Parallel assesses the Arctic security landscape and its implications for Canada’s defence, sovereignty, and democracy.

The book details the complex threats that foreign actors could exploit to undermine Canadian interests and argues for the Canadian Arctic to be recognized as an expeditionary theatre, adopting a more proactive, integrated approach to its security. Analyzing various illustrative scenarios, the authors – all strategic analysts – show how CANSOF can help to not only detect but to deter and defeat threats. They contend that Special Operations Forces, given a well-defined Arctic mandate – serving as a sensor, signal, weapon, and integrator – have a critical role at the intersection of national defence and security, supporting a broader whole-of-government effort to protect Canada’s interests in its northern regions.

This timely book is a must-read for everyone engaged with, and interested in, the dynamics of strategic defence and competition in Canada’s Arctic.