On the front lines of Canada's northern strategy : À l'avant-scène de la stratégie pour le Nord du Canada

In each instance however, the interest of the Government of Canada and the public at large in the North proved transitory, and the country shied away from long-term commitments and avoided significant national investments. [...] The combination of the Cold War, the rush for northern resources (that was in part sparked by the Diefenbaker government’s Roads to Resources program) and the growth of the welfare state resulted in a wave of government investments, the creation of new communities, significant improvements in northern infrastructure and major societal changes. [...] In practice, however, the part of the strategy that the federal government has placed the most emphasis on is increasing the military presence in the North. [...] The RCAF base in Whitehorse, closed in 1968, had a major impact on the city after World War II; the base itself defined the development of the urban space, with effects that can still be seen in the location and nature of suburbs and facilities in the community. [...] Over the past quarter for the integration of the Canadian North – its people century, one of the most remarkable and its communities – into the fabric of the nation.