Virtually all of the Trans-Siberian railroad (except for the Amur-Yakutsk spur) is below the Canadian North. There are railways to northern places in Russia (such as Murmansk), but Murmansk has 200k people (down from 500k in 1989), where the largest settlement in the Canadian North is Yellowknife, with 10% that number.

So it's not that you _can't_, but it's a PITA, and it's very far from value for money for so few people.

Russia is also hard up for ports, hence Murmansk, whereas Canada has always had Halifax.

Beside the point, I know, but the Trans-Siberian goes through southern Siberia.

It's not really under consideration to build a railway to Attawapiskat or other remote areas. It's a question of cost mostly.

Railways (I imagine especially in permafrost) require a lot more maintenance than a basic airstrip