Defending Canada's Arctic: Failed Policy?

The Arctic is back on the front burner.

In university I took a Canadian Arctic course. I know. You must be thinking to yourself "what a lucky guy!"

Mind you, it's there I learned about Sam Steele, Canadian naivete and that those Dudley-Do-Right cartoons were pretty smart.

Back then, I was of the opinion if Canada was just a tad too comfortable in its own bed when it came to Arctic issues and if didn't grow a pair of military "balls" to go along with a sound Arctic policy we were never going to be able exert real sovereignty in the region. This was right about the time the Liberals came into power and began their 13 year benevolent dictatorship. The Liberals were aloof towards the Arctic and proceeded to cut military spending to the point of embarrassment.

It was the early 1990s. It wasn't politically popular to put money in the military; apparently no one wanted to attack us according to voters. But a military serves many practical purposes and those same people concerned about the Arctic wonder why we're not in full control up there.

You see, the problem is we have always assumed it was ours. This is a problem when you don't let others who have interests there know what you're thinking. The issue, for the record, has been around since the birth of the nation so don't bother trying to paste this on Prime Minister Harper. Here's an excerpt from 1986 on the issues:

"There has been confrontation on a significant list of issues - jurisdiction over marine transportation in the so-called Northwest Passage, boundary delimitation in the Beaufort Sea, control measures on transboundary pollution problems, the applicability of multilaterally agreed standards, the future of joint development projects, e.g., the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System (ANGST), and whether native rights are matters wholly subject to domestic jurisdiction or whether they have a transboundary dimension."

Here's how Canada's Arctic blurb is described in the Arctic Council site:

"Canada's Arctic encompasses approximately 40 percent of the nation's total land mass and has about 85,000 residents. This broadly defined region has two-thirds of Canada's marine coastline and a sea which extends from Alaska to the strait of Belle Isle."

So. How now brown cow?

I suppose we can send a few ships to wave the flag but it may take much more given the vast potential of the region. Nations covet what we took for granted. Obviously, high-level discussions are needed but they're worthless if Canada can't articulate its policy and intentions forcefully and lucidly. We have different needs and hold different perceptions from all nations involved.

Tough talk ain't gonna cut it either - unless you can back it up.

As PM Harper said in August, "You don't defend national sovereignty with flags, cheap election rhetoric and advertising campaigns," Mr. Harper said then. "You need forces on the ground, ships in the sea and proper surveillance."

I'm afraid it may be too late. This should have been done years ago. There's no reason why this nation, Canada, couldn't take leadership and build a few more navy ships and icebreakers to increase presence in the Arctic.

It may even come for Canada to simply ally itself with the U.S. against possible Russian aggression.

Hey, we made the bed. Time to think creatively and realistically.