Canada plans Arctic bases, expanded patrol force

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - Canada pressed its Arctic sovereignty claim on Friday, announcing plans for a port, a training facility and to modernize the part-time paramilitary force that now patrols the area.

The announcement that had been promised by the Conservative government in the 2006 election, comes a week after Russia staked its claim to a large chunk of the resource-rich Arctic region by planting a flag beneath the ice of the North Pole.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Canada will build a C$100 million ($95 million) deep-water port at Nanisivik near the eastern entrance of the Northwest Passage, which will allow it to refuel its military patrol ships.

Ottawa said last month it would spend C$3.1 billion to buy at least six new patrol ships for the area.

The government said on Friday it will also spend C$4 million refurbishing a facility in Resolute Bay that will allow year-round training of military forces in the Arctic.

Canada now relies largely on the Canadian Rangers to conduct surveillance and sovereignty patrols in remote areas of the Arctic. The 4,000-member Rangers are part-time reservists, many of whom are Inuit or native Indian.

Harper said Ottawa would spend C$45 million to provide the Rangers with newer equipment and to expand the force by 900 members.

($1=$1.05 Canadian)