Canada's Arctic; Use It or Lose It?

Canadians often assume that the government has complete control over the massive, seemingly useless pieces of ice in the nation’s Arctic. However Canada’s sovereignty over the Arctic has come in to question many times over the past half century. Canada geographically has the most obvious claim to majority of the Arctic, but Russia, Norway, Denmark, and the United States, have all made claims to various aspects of the region. Since much of the region is ice covered, the Northwest Passage, which is at the heart of this contested region, is unable to be navigated through for the majority of the year. However, in the current state of climate change it is becoming evident that the ice is continually melting and a viable transportation route may emerge in the near future, assuming current trends continue. This is where the argument of which nation controls these trade routes, but just as important, the lucrative petroleum and natural gas deposits beneath heats up. Furthermore, the fishing industry will also become viable for parts of the year, potentially assisting the economy. On top of all these economic stimulants are the diamonds and other minerals that will become available with the continued meltdown of glaciers in the north. The issue lies in Canada’s incapability to secure or develop the northern region for such explorations in the future. Into the future it is crucial that Canada begin to seriously assess the importance of the Arctic and begin to secure its sovereignty over it. The expenditures that should be spent to secure the Northwest Passage and the entire region will be worthwhile in the long term for the obvious economic reasons but also the political benefits associated with this policy.

This essay will demonstrate why it is necessary for Canada to step up and allocate the required resources to secure and develop the Arctic region for the future natural resources and economic stimulants that will emerge through the melting of the ice....