This article considers the role of surveillance within security concerns related to the Arctic in Canada and North America. More pointedly, it examines how surveillance contributes towards situational awareness and the current emphasis on technological research and development to meet current and future security requirements. The article argues that Canada’s focus on surveillance within the Arctic offers a flexible strategy that navigates the complex and evolving security environment in addition to the political and fiscal realities of our time. However, the article warns that emphasizing the role of novel technology within strategic considerations risks undermining sound policymaking as the potential for new technology to transform defensive capabilities remains speculative. The article illustrates this approach to security by analyzing Canada’s Arctic surveillance capabilities and goals under the All Domain Situational Awareness (ADSA) program. Further, it links Canada’s efforts to North American defence by theoretically examining the role of surveillance in the Strategic Homeland Integrated Ecosystem for Layered Defense (SHIELD) concept and the recent NORAD/USNORTHCOM strategic outlook.

本文考虑了监视在与加拿大和北美北极相关的安全问题中的作用。更明确地说，它研究了监视如何促进态势感知以及当前对技术研发的重视，以满足当前和未来的安全要求。文章认为，除了我们这个时代的政治和财政现实之外，加拿大对北极内监视的关注提供了一种灵活的战略，可以驾驭复杂和不断变化的安全环境。然而，文章警告说，在战略考虑中强调新技术的作用可能会破坏合理的决策，因为新技术改变防御能力的潜力仍然是投机性的。本文通过分析加拿大在全域态势感知 (ADSA) 计划下的北极监视能力和目标来说明这种安全方法。此外，它通过从理论上研究监视在分层防御战略国土综合生态系统 (SHIELD) 概念和最近的 NORAD/USNORTHCOM 战略展望中的作用，将加拿大的努力与北美国防联系起来。