Event Date: May 21, 2024 - 10:00am to May 22, 2024 - 4:45pm
Location: FSS 4007, 120 University Private, University of Ottawa

This event is open to the public. Registration is required.

Registration: Google Forms

Conference organized by the Observatory on Politics and Security in the Arctic (OPSA), with financial support from the MINDS program of the Department of National Defence of Canada, in partnership with the Centre for International Policy Studies, the Embassy of France in Canada, and the North American and Arctic Defence and Security Network (NAADSN)

Day 1: May 21st, 10:00am – 4:15pm

Day 2: May 22nd, 10:00am – 4:45pm

The Arctic region is undergoing significant change, creating challenges and opportunities for northern communities. This two-day conference will bring together researchers and practitioners from different countries to share their expertise on emerging threats and concerns facing the Arctic region. On the first day, the focus will be on environmental changes affecting the region. Global warming and the thawing of permafrost, among others, are creating risks and threats for the environment and Arctic communities: the evolution of these threats and solutions to combat them will be discussed. On the second day, experts and practitioners will look at Arctic threats created by technological change. Protecting digital infrastructures, disinformation and cyberthreats are just some of the topics covered on this second day.

Full program:

Day 1 – May 21

10:00am – 12:00pm  Severity of and solutions to permafrost thawing

Frédéric Bouchard, Professor, Université de Sherbrooke

Magali Vullierme, Associate researcher, Observatory on Politics and Security in the Arctic

Lilian Alessa, Director, Center for Resilient Communities, Idaho University

Jennifer Spence, Project director, Arctic Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

1:00pm – 2:00pm  Discussion with practitioners

Benoit Mainville, Director, Rangers program, Canadian Armed Forces

Guillaume Paradis, Acting Superintendent, Canadian Coast Guard

Robert Kadas, deputy senior Arctic official, Global Affairs Canada

2:15pm – 4:15pm   Environmental risks on Arctic communities and inhabitants

Arja Rautio, Professor, University of Oulu

Katharina Koch, Fellow, North American and Arctic Defence and Security Network

Leslie Canavera, CEO, PolArctic LLC

Day 2 – May 22

10:00am – 12:00pm   Vulnerability and protection of telecommunication infrastructures

Michael Delaunay, Associate researcher, Observatory on Politics and Security in the Arctic

Célestine Rabouam, Ph.D candidate, Institut français de géopolitique

Lars Gjesvik, Senior researcher, Norwegian Institute for International Affairs

Dean Proctor, Chief Development Officer, SSI Canada

Madeleine Redfern, CEO, CanArctic Inuit Networks

1:00pm – 2:30pm   Influence campaigns and disinformation

Mathieu Landriault, Director, Observatory on Politics and Security in the Arctic

Charlotte Gehrke, doctoral candidate, Nord University

Signe Lyngholm Lindbjerg, researcher, Royal Danish Defence College

2:45pm – 4:45pm   Datasphere and emerging technologies

Kristen Csenkey, Research Fellow, North American and Arctic Defence and Security Network

Hugo Estecahandy, Ph.D candidate, Institut français de Géopolitique

Anna Soer, Ph.D candidate, University of Ottawa

Mirva Salminen, professor, University of Tromsø