Time to stake solid claim over Arctic

[CDNBear]

Time to stake solid claim over Arctic

By PAUL BERTON

Despite what other nations may believe, Northwest Passage waterways are not an international thoroughfare for surface or submarine vessels. They're Canadian, and we should be exercising our jurisdiction, including imposing Canadian standards on international shipping and would-be polluters in the region.

Canadians have taken for granted our ownership in the region for more than a century, repeated our claim on it countless times and stated it dramatically in 1985 through a Commons speech by then-external affairs minister Joe Clark.
Now Prime Minister Stephen Harper pledges to make Canada's Arctic sovereignty "a major legacy of this government." Why? Because other nations refuse to acknowledge it.
A Leger Marketing poll for Sun Media shows Canadians want the government to secure land and waterway rights in the North, and are concerned the region's resources are at risk. It's a safe bet these feelings will strengthen as time goes on.
That's why Harper's commitment to beef up Canadian presence in the Arctic by building a new port, icebreaker capability and enhanced patrol and surveillance activities is more than prudent. Recruiting more people to the reservist Canadian Rangers, who carry out sovereignty operations in the most remote areas, is supported by Inuit leaders across the North, and well advised.

That can also help with chronic unemployment in the North, which, when added to the list of other social ills such as a lack of housing, illness and especially an alarmingly high rate of suicide among the Inuit, present a huge challenge for the Inuit, and for the feds.
In fact, overcoming Inuit social challenges may go a long way toward strengthening sovereignty.
"The first lesson of sovereignty is use it or lose it," says Harper. Surely that means doing whatever the government can to help the Inuit thrive in the North.
The Conservatives have agreed to support the spirit of the Kelowna Accord, which Inuit leaders believe will help them tackle some of the issues. With luck, Harper can kill two birds with one stone.
http://www.torontosun.com/Comment/Commentary/2007/02/27/3672148.html


This is very good paper, writen on the subject, as well.

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?h...rtin.pdf+canada's+arctic+sovereignty+at+stake

 

[Zzarchov]

Despite everything I hate about the Conservatives, the ineptitude of the NDP and inability to grasp basic concerns makes me think about voting for them.

The things they do internally, while they disgust me, can be undone. But they seem the only one even willing to talk about the big issues.

 

[Sparrow]

It is about time we begin claiming our soverignty. Seems to me our governments has been wishy washy on the subject.

 

[tamarin]

I agree but what will asserting sovereignty mean in real costs to the public purse? And is the Canadian pacifist identity ready for some much needed questioning?

 

[I think not]

Canada isn't going to win this.

The author of the article is playing word games;

Despite what other nations may believe, Northwest Passage waterways are not an international thoroughfare for surface or submarine vessels.

Nobody is claiming they are international waters. International waters extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the coast (Although I'm sure in certain areas, it may well extend to 200 nautical miles).

Territorial Waters extend 12 nautical miles from the baseline (Internal Waters), and according to the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (which Canada is a signatory), "innocent passage" is granted to everybody. Even military vessels are granted "transit passage" so long as the intent is passage only (obviously).

This issue has been raised in many parts of the world, where the circumstances are similar. Every country that has signed the convention loses the deal.

EDIT: If Canada wants to assert its sovereignty, I would imagine it has to withdraw from the convention, and build up the military presence in the North.