Blame Canada or Global Warming?
July 13, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Blame Canada?
Global warming has pushed the traditionally peace-loving Canadians into a potential stand-off with the United States and Russia over who controls the Arctic.


After announcing this week that £3.3 billion will be spent on militarisation in the Arctic region, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper warned other nations to stay away from an area rich in both natural resources and ecological significance.

“The ongoing discovery of the north’s resource riches, coupled with the potential impact of climate change, has made the region a growing area of interest and concern,” said Mr Harper.

The Canadian position will trouble the US and Russia, as well as Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland – all of which have varying claims to the region.

And the stand-off comes only weeks after the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) argued that climate change and the ensuing scramble for natural resources could lead to armed conflict in the future.

The Arctic holds around a quarter of the world’s undiscovered reserves of oil and gas, according to a report in The Guardian.

And the region is also strategically important. The area above the North Pole was recently claimed by Russia amid international criticism, while the North-west Passage, a vital commercial route that has become easier to navigate due to melting, is claimed by Canada despite intensifying competition from the US.

But in a move not seen in international affairs since the animated shenanigans of South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, Canada is refusing to back down.

“Canada has a choice when it comes to defending our sovereignty over the Arctic,” said the Canadian PM. “We either use it or lose it. And make no mistake: this government intends to use it.”

nothing to see here