Cornwall ON – Our Arctic territorial integrity and Sovereignty are something to me as a Canadian that has lived and worked in the Arctic that is very important to me. As the ice is melting it’s becoming important to our neighbours in the region too as they are starting to make claims.
Russia a few years ago dropped a flag on the floor of some of our territory as a gesture. At stake are billions of dollars worth of minerals and resources.
“Regrettably, we have seen attempts to limit Russia’s access to the exploration and development of the Arctic mineral resources,” he said. “That’s absolutely inadmissible from the legal viewpoint and unfair given our nation’s geographical location and history.”
Russia claims a large part of the Arctic seabed as its own, arguing that it is an extension of its continental shelf. In 2007, scientists staked a symbolic claim by dropping a canister containing the Russian flag onto the seabed from a small submarine.
The U.S., Canada, Denmark and Norway have also been trying to assert jurisdiction over parts of the Arctic, which is believed to contain as much as a quarter of the Earth’s undiscovered oil and gas.”
As oil and resource prices rise these issues will most likely grow in rhetoric and tone. We as Canadians need to assert our territorial integrity and protect what’s ours and has been for generations.
What do you think Canada? Post your comments below.
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Let’s start with the fact that the flag drop was purely symbolic, done by scientists, and meant nothing. Russia’s claim is based on International Law which sets a 200 mile territorial limit from the coast. This can be extended if a countries continental shelf extends further out to sea. Russia claims that a shelf extends from Siberia and is thus entitled to the nearby seabed. Canada claims it is attached to the same ridge, and Denmark believes it is attached to Greenland. Until the mapping of the sea bed itself is complete, all claims are moot.
The United Nations Commision on the Limits of the Continental shelve makes the final decision on continental shelves. Until then, we wait.
Watch this video. Doesn’t make Harper look good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RU7dpX1YsQ
It certainly doesn’t make him look bad either….it ertainly points out where we should be going in the future of the North. I quite enjoyed this interview with Michael Byers