In Finland, bomb shelters double as playgrounds. 900,000 reservists on standby. In Sweden, millions received war prep pamphlets. Defense spending doubled in four years.

These Nordic nations aren’t taking any chances with Russia’s war in Ukraine raging. They remember what happened in 1939 when the Soviet Union invaded Finland. Both countries also joined NATO, so Canada is bound to defend them too. 

Emma Godmere travels to the Arctic Circle to discover what it means to live next to Russia, and what Canada can learn from its Nordic allies. 

Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit