-_-
Seriously, what is Canada planning on doing in the Arctic?
Tue, 2009-12-22 03:42
#1
Seriously, what is Canada planning on doing in the Arctic?
Tue, 2009-12-22 03:54
#2
So the polar cap is melting, the Northwest Passage is becoming more passable, but so what? Canada does not have sovereignty in that area and even if they did what would Canada do. Impose tolls like the Panama Canal? Apparently right now ships and submarines travel through the Northwest Passage at their leisure, apart from the threat of icebergs that is. What are the big benefits to having an ice free polar cap or ice free Northwest Passage? Are there any?
The Arctic Grail
Tue, 2009-12-22 05:18
#3
N.Beltov
Circumpolar trade. The Russians, for example, might be a good counterbalance as a trading partner to the juggernaut to the south of us. Unfortunately, most leading political figures in Canada are still brainwashed by a knee-jerk antagonism to anything Russian - even if it would benefit Canada - and would rather seek crumbs from Washington's table than exert any real sovereignty in trading or foreign policy matters. Our Canadian military is integrated and virtually "interoperable" with US forces (i.e., interchangeable) so, although Canada has had a somewhat independent perspective on, for example, Law of the Sea and such, what prospects there are aren't really prospects at all ... what with the current regime in Ottawa.
There is plenty of room for eco-tourism in the north, however. Lots of Europeans, for example , are much more interested than many Canadians are at seeing what may be the last of the polar bears on Planet Earth. And, undoubtedly, the large resource monopolies would like to do to the north what they have already done to the rest of the country and most of the Planet. (Pillage, etc.) I've seen a TV report on Churchill, however, that notes that the warming trend will result in/has already resulted in shifting ground underneath rail lines in the north that imply expensive ungrades and repairs to keep those lines open for trains.
Is that what you meant?
Wed, 2009-12-23 18:10
#4
The first circumpolar 'trade mission' has already occured, a Russian ship that came over the top two years ago and unloaded in Churchill.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/article788501.ece
Wed, 2009-12-23 18:19
#5
Le T
Then it's also possible that other countries in the world will support Inuit soveriegnty in the North and tell Canada that they have no business being there, which we don't. Bolivia probably doesn't have a suitable navy though.
Wed, 2009-12-23 18:46
#6
[url=http://www.cceia.org/resources/articles_papers_reports/0040.html/:pf_pri... Peace: International Cooperation Takes Hold in the Arctic[/url]
Michael Byers
Indigenous Peoples
The inclusion of indigenous groups as permanent participants at the Arctic Council is a reflection of the important role played by northern peoples in diplomacy and international lawmaking. In Canada and Denmark, the traditional use and occupancy of land and ice by indigenous peoples constitutes an element of nation-state sovereignty claims. Indigenous peoples have concluded a number of land claims agreements with national governments, such as the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and the 1993 Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. Nunavut, with an 85 percent indigenous population, has a majoritarian government system that effectively provides Inuit self-government. Greenland, which was accorded home rule in 1979, is 88 percent Inuit. In 1985, Greenlanders voted to leave the European Economic Community and, in 2008, to take on additional governing powers. Denmark remains responsible only for Greenland's defense, foreign affairs, financial policy, and an annual transfer of 3.4 billion Danish krone.
Some Arctic indigenous groups are transnational in character, with the Inuit Circumpolar Council representing the Inuit of Greenland, Canada, Alaska, and Russia, and the Saami Council representing the Saami of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. The Inuit Circumpolar Council has been particularly influential on international environmental issues, providing an essential moral impetus during the negotiation of the 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and helping to bring the Arctic dimension of climate change into the global public consciousness. In 2009, the Inuit Circumpolar Council issued "A Circumpolar Inuit Declaration on Sovereignty in the Arctic."16 The document does not claim Inuit sovereignty; rather, it asserts the right to be involved in any interstate negotiations concerning sovereignty disputes and indicates specific concern about the exclusion of the Inuit from the 2008 Ilulissat summit
Wed, 2009-12-23 18:53
#7
We have no business being there..same goes for alot of the inuit then, seeing as they are descended from a group of inuit that originated in Greenland, migrated to this part of the world and eradictated it's more native habitants. But I know, they are completely innocent and different from us, but wait no, they aren't different..right? How far back does the world go back in time to transfer all of the settlers back to where they belong, 500, 1000, 10,000 years? Tell us? Should Canada's inuit go back to Greenland? Im sure the caribou wouldn't mind, seeing as the NWT Inuit and Dene are talking about ignoring the goverments no caribou hunting for this year decision...but then those were white scientists doing the counting, I guess like global warming research no one around here would believe a white scientist...err,so much different than us evil white people..come on already.
Wed, 2009-12-23 20:08
#8
But I know, they are completely innocent and different from us, but wait no, they aren't different..right?
I think it was a federal Liberal government who banished some woodlands Cree to a desolate location in the high north that even Inuit said was uninhabitable at the time. They needed some human flag poles to plant up North then.
Wed, 2009-12-23 20:57
#9
Frustrated Mess
Harper will fullfill his role as he sees it which is to liquidate Canada's natural resources in the interests of an invisible, global investor class.
Wed, 2009-12-23 21:06
#10
I think Harper is hanging on by a thread since 2006. The investor class will drop their sponsorship of Steve the poodle if he is unable to seize phony-majority power in Ottawa. They'll pass him over like last year's Guccis.
Wed, 2009-12-23 21:08
#11
Frustrated Mess
That doesn't change Harper's role to which he is obsessively loyal.
Wed, 2009-12-23 21:15
#12
Oh for sure. He's single minded in his task to hack off pieces of the public good and throw it to salivating private enterprise jackals waiting in the wings. It's all dogs like Harper live for is a pat on the head from kingmakers who put him where he is.
Wed, 2009-12-23 21:22
#13
Yarg. In a nutshell, your post consists of oppressive language. Outside of the nutshell, you have no idea what you're talking about in as far as your posts go regarding First Nations issues, and you are offending the anti-oppression policies of the board. I lack the technology to ban you from posting on particular subject and don't at this point wish to give you a suspension, so I'm asking to to refrain from posting on these issues entirely.
Tue, 2010-02-23 11:52
#14
Boom Boom
Just stumbled across this story from last week: Inuit, Iceland irked at exclusion from Arctic talks
excerpt:
"It is inconceivable that the Government of Canada would contemplate holding a conference to discuss economic development and environmental protection in the Arctic without the active participation of Inuit, who will have to live with the consequences of any new government policies. This reeks of paternalism," said the ITK's acting president, Pita Aatami.
Tue, 2010-02-23 12:20
#15
Militarization of the Arctic: Canada - Battle Line in East West Conflict:
Sun, 2016-05-08 15:49
#16
Why Canada Can't Have The North Pole
http://rcinet.ca/en/2016/05/08/why-canada-cant-have-the-north-pole/
"This is all about domestic politics. It's about politicians playing on people's childhood memories of Santa Claus and his home at the North Pole. This last and unnecessary round of ocean mapping research is expected to cost about $100 million dollars..."
Tue, 2019-05-07 09:35
#17
"US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Canada's claim to the Northwest Passage is 'Illegitimate', while giving a speech to the Arctic Council. Read more here..."