Please join the Frost Centre and the North American Arctic Defence and Security Network (NAADSN) for a North at Trent Lecture Series, featuring Dr. Rasmus Leander Nielsen and Dr. Marc Lanteigne on Friday, 28 November 2025; 1:00-4:00pm at Trent University’s Lady Eaton College – The Pit. Refreshments will be provided.

Register here: https://forms.gle/Bq6KUi1kwtuNgxor8.

The world is in flux, with powerful, connected trends reshaping global geopolitics: climate change, autocracies and disruptive states (particularly China and Russia) challenging the rules-based international order, and new and disruptive technologies that “are rapidly redefining conflict and what it takes to be safe and secure.” Canada’s defence policy, Our North, Strong and Free, highlights the Arctic as a region of particular concern and priority. Indeed, the Department of National Defence states that “the most urgent and important task we face is asserting Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic and northern regions, where the changing physical and geopolitical landscapes have created new threats and vulnerabilities to Canada and Canadians.” Hybrid threats, below-the-threshold of kinetic conflict (also called the grey zone), are harmful activities that are planned and carried out with malign intent. Grey zone warfare is increasing in speed, scale, and intensity in the North American Arctic and European High North demanding alliance-wide responses. Reflective of this new world, Canada’s allies Greenland and Norway have also announced new foreign policy strategies focused on the changing threat environment and the connection of local, national, and international security issues.

“Greenlandic Foreign Policy in the Midst of Geopolitical Tensions”

Rasmus Leander Nielsen is Head of Nasiffik (Centre for Foreign & Security Policy) and Associate Professor at the Department of Arctic Social Science and Economics, Ilisimatusarfik (University of Greenland).

“The Nature of Grey Zone Arctic Threats: Lessons from Norway”

Marc Lanteigne is a Professor of Political Science at UiT: The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, specialising in Chinese and East Asian politics and international relations, as well as Asia-Pacific security and cooperation. He also specialises in the politics and security of the Polar Regions, including Chinese and East Asian diplomacy in the Arctic and via the Antarctic Treaty System.

For questions, please contact nicholasglesby@trentu.ca.