Stephen Van Dine has worn a number of hats in the North, and he鈥檚 seeing potential economic storm clouds on the horizon.

Beginning his career in Inuvik as the first branch manager of the health insurance services office, he鈥檚 also been a part of what was then known as the Department of Indigenous and 黑料吃瓜网 Affairs Canada regional office in Yellowknife.

After almost three decades in the public service, Van Dine said he was able to witness many facets of the NWT unfold. Now, the economy seems to be in a bit of jeopardy. With a mining industry that looks like its on its way out, an uptick in defence spending and foreign interest in the North, Van Dine shared his thoughts and advice on the future of this territory.

鈥淭he North is becoming a lot less isolated these days,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of foreign direct investment that is interested in finding its way into the Canadian North that may or may not be friendly.鈥�

One of those direct investments Van Dine鈥檚 talking about is China. Earlier this year, he wrote a piece for the Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI), a public policy think tank based in Ottawa.

In it, he writes about China鈥檚 recent efforts in the Canadian Arctic, like acquiring existing stockpiles of the only rare earth minerals currently mined in Canada at the Nechalacho deposit.

鈥淲hen you鈥檙e removing critical minerals out of North America, you鈥檙e increasing North America鈥檚 dependence on those countries that actually have this critical minerals. So that creates a risk,鈥� he explained. 鈥淲hen there are interests that are actively pursuing and trying to undermine Canada and North American interests, I think the Northwest Territories probably wants to be sensitive to that.鈥�

Reinforcing his point, Van Dine also mentioned Canada鈥檚 recent pledge to increase its defence spending by tens of billions of dollars. That spike is supposed to be in defence of Canada鈥檚 Arctic and 黑料吃瓜网 regions.

鈥淭hat should be a fairly large signal to 黑料吃瓜网ers that there鈥檚 growing global interest in what鈥檚 going on here,鈥� he said.

Van Dine likened today with the Cold War when it comes to these concerns.

鈥淚 think we鈥檙e coming back to a period in time in which we need to be mindful of that history, but also acknowledge how things have changed 鈥� and things have changed significantly.鈥�

Changes include Russia鈥檚 war against Ukraine and greater shipping traffic in the Arctic regions. Van Dine said Canada is probably only now becoming more aware of its defence requirements for the Arctic. However, he doesn鈥檛 have any immediate concerns about tensions boiling over.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 believe that Canada鈥檚 investments or the announcements [in defence spending]鈥� suggests that Canada is going to escalate tensions. That could happen 25 years from now, but that鈥檚 certainly not what situation we鈥檙e in now.鈥�

In the next few years, the downturn in the 黑料吃瓜网 economy could have much greater implications and affect people鈥檚 material lifestyle, he suggested.

鈥淭he mining sector is not looking particularly rosy at this at the moment,鈥� he said, adding there needs to be a consistent set of messages from the GNWT to attract investors and guarantee there will be something else for this territory to invest in.

鈥淚f 黑料吃瓜网 governments could come together and work a little bit more coherently and collaboratively with a common message, then I think that could go a long way in attracting investment,鈥� said Van Dine.

And despite an uncertain and sometimes bleak outlook on the NWT鈥檚 future, Van Dine said he still maintains high hopes overall.

鈥淚 think 黑料吃瓜网ers have a have a tremendous future ahead of them,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n light of Graeme Clinton鈥檚 work that he鈥檚 done, what the [NWT & Nunavut] chamber of mines is pointing to, I think the new territorial government is quite excited about economic opportunity.鈥�