Canada Reasserts Arctic Sovereignty

Associated Press ^ | January 26, 2006 | Beth Duff-Brown

[Paleo Conservative]

How many Boy Scouts should we send?

[Cacique]

I was under the understanding that the United States only recognizes a three mile territorial limit and a 12 mile fishing limit. Most other countries insists on the 12 mile rule. The convention of the three mile rule was common in the 18th and 19th centuries as that was the maximum range of cannon at the time. Thus it became accepted practice to accept the territorial waters as what could be defended from the coast.

[Paleo Conservative]

2 nautical miles

I thought it was twelve nautical miles. Also, the US and many other countries claim a 200 mile exclusive economic zone.

[CWOJackson]

It is twelve miles and the U.S. abides by that rule. Canada is trying to claim corridors of international water between the mainland and some of the larger coastal islands (well in excess of 12 miles from both shores) which would place a barrier across the Northwest Passage.

Their claim isn't supported by international law, treaty or military strength. Looks like it's time to get one of our unarmed Polar Class icebreakers ready for a summer transit of the passage.

[mafree]

We can still drill in ANWR right?

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Looks like it's time to get one of our unarmed Polar Class icebreakers ready for a summer transit of the passage.

Giggle. There is no such thing as unarmed.

[PzLdr]

And they will defend this national sovereignty against the U.S how? Second hand sub flambe?

[SALChamps03]

Your insult is uncalled for. I merely made a comment on the futility of Canadian complaining about US operations in international waters. By the way, your comment about public schools shows a lack of thinking about that issue as well.

[SALChamps03]

It was merely a comment. Comments had already been made about the posibility of armed Canadian icebreakers patrolling the NW Passage. The purpose of an armed vessel would be to engage in warfare with those they find in the NW Passage. I don't think the comment was jumping the gun at all. For the record, I think Canada is rattling a rusty sabre.

[KneelBeforeZod]

hoser

[kanawa]

Canada is trying to claim corridors of international water between the mainland and some of the larger coastal islands (well in excess of 12 miles from both shores) which would place a barrier across the Northwest Passage.

Source?

[Former Proud Canadian]

The public school comment was a reference to your lack of historical perspective. I don't think history is covered very well in public schools in the US. I could be wrong.

As for "rusty sabres", no Canadian in their right mind would contemplate military action against the US in the Arctic or anywhere else. You will sooner see France and Germany come to blows. Few people, on either side of the border, really understand how integrated the economies are. If trade between us stopped, the Canadian economy would be devastated in a week. Gasoline in the US would be $5 or $6 a gallon in about the same time frame.

Americans have been handling the defense of North America virtually by themselves far too long. You should be ecstatic that PM Harper is finally going to shoulder some responsibility for continental defense and sovereignty.

PM Harper is asserting himself and the Americans, especially the ambassador, have given him a chance to do so. He gets to look tough and inoculates himselft against charges that he is an American puppet. Meanwhile, he had a very warm telephone conversation with President Bush. I would say their political views are very close, although Harper is probably more conservative. This "dust up" could have been planned from the beginning. A congratulatory gift from President Bush.

Here is how I think this will play out. Publicly, Canada will occupy the north militarily and assert sovereignty. Privately our military will work closely with the USN, as we always have, to keep the Arctic free of common enemies.

[CWOJackson]

Just do a Google, you can find many web based articles on the subject. More then a few of them are Canadian based. Some are a real hoot...they are outraged over a photograph of three U.S. nuke subs at the "North Pole".

I guess they consider even the North Pole "their" territory.

[SALChamps03]

I wasn't discussing history. I was commenting on a specific scenario being discussed on the board, however unrealistic it might have been.