They outline diverse paths to achieving sovereignty, security, and stewardship in canadaas. Ocdt jennifer wotherspoon major brister early 20th century explorer vilhalmur stefannson was correct in his assertion that the arctic was essentially a treasure chest of natural resources, and in his corresponding prediction that the far north would become a vital national interest for canada. Uarctic thematic network on geopolitics and security. Canadian arctic sovereignty and security in a transforming. To do so later, or to do so now in some half measure, will ensure that canadian arctic sovereignty and security is merely a theory and never a. Climate change and arctic sovereignty the arctic institute. Climate change has made it clear that the arctic environmental transformation poses some very real security concerns for canada. Canada must assert sovereignty over the arctic while there. The state of canadas arctic sovereignty and security is detailed in this video produced by michael mitchell as a component of his ma in conflict analysis and management studies at royal roads. Documents on canadian arctic sovereignty and security canada. It extends without interruption to the seawardfacing coasts of the arctic islands. As assessed by political strategist and former canadian senator from ontario, hugh segal, in the foreword of canada and the changing arctic.
Geopolitical arctic threats and challenges current geopolitical threat level is nebulous and low for now issue is the uncertainty as arctic states and nonarctic states begin to recognize the geopoliticaleconomic significance of the arctic because of climate change 1 arctic as a geopolitical transit point. All eight arctic states have released new arctic foreign policy and security strategies responding to the changing climate, but the sovereignty and security issues of each state are shaped by geography, ecology, culture and national interests. If canada enjoyed undisputed sovereignty over the northwest passage, it could legally exclude the ships and strengthen continental defense. During the cold war, arctic security was inseparable from national security, nuclear deterrence and the bipolar rivalry between the american and soviet superpowers. Please consider the environment before printing this ebook. Climate change and new ideas about sovereignty and security in the canadian arctic was mounted in january by the canadian arctic resources committee, the centre for military and. By taneil george as the arctic continues to melt, concern over who can claim sovereignty over it continues to rise.
These e books are edited summaries and document compendiums, compiled as research tools to serve as a basis for indepth research. Despite these difficulties, canadas claim to arctic sovereignty has always depended on the peoples of the north, and their wellbeing is a responsibility worth paying for, according to speca. There is a desire among arctic countries to cooperate closely to address common challenges and solve territorial disputes by diplomatic means. Each country experiences the arctic differently and assigns it a different symbolic importance. Canadas security, sovereignty, and environmental concerns in the arctic by huebert, rob, ed. The traditional view of arctic security focuses on military defence, especially the protection of national borders and the assertion of state sovereignty over arctic land and water. Depictions emphasising the challenges china poses to canadian arctic sovereignty and security, however, are largely informed by the larger literature related to rise in china, and the stability of. One of canadas priorities in regards to arctic sovereignty should be to protect the inuit people not only because they are experiencing a loss in culture, but the circumpolar inuit declaration on arctic sovereignty also declares that the inuit have rights to the resources and the land upon which they live on. Rapidly receding sea ice and increasingly navigable waters combined with the promise of rich natural. More often than not, their writings include the nebulous topic of arctic sovereignty and it is usually assumed to be under threat. Sovereignty, security, and institutions st antonys series. Inevitably, canadian foreign policy scholars are either asked, or feel compelled, to write about the arctic.
Arctic sovereignty introduction to international relations written by. The subject of arctic sovereignty is sensitive in canada. As has been the case throughout history, sovereignty often relies on the realpolitik principle of. Mar 23, 2016 all eight arctic states have released new arctic foreign policy and security strategies responding to the changing climate, but the sovereignty and security issues of each state are shaped by geography, ecology, culture and national interests. In short, the history of sovereignty in the arctic reflects ongoing attempts to square the multifaceted and unstable nature of arctic materiality with a constructed ontology or, to use schmitts term, a nomos that assumes a fixed division between land and water. By establishing a permanent military base on the arctic ocean the united states will ensure the priorities established in the national security presidential directive66homeland security presidential directive25 and the current national security strategy will be achieved. Who owns the arctic understanding sovereignty disputes in. Understanding sovereignty disputes in the north by michael byers will get your blood boiling if you believe, as i do, that the northwest passage is canadian and not an international waterway. Canadian sovereignty and security explores its historical development. Cochaired by gareth evans and mohamed sahnoun, the responsibility to protect r2p purported to respond to an emergent culture of national and international accountability present in the. In a changing arctic, a lone coast guard icebreaker maneuvers through ice and geopolitics dan lamothe september 4, 2017 meanwhile, china also has arrived in the arctic, sailing research and exploration vessels while arguing that no nation has sovereignty over these waters and the natural resources below. Sovereignty which lends legal, military, and security policy. It is rare that a territory seen by so few can be emotionally, spiritually, and personally so compellingly.
He has also provided a number of opeds on issues of arctic security to national newspapers including the. Berry, dawn alexandrea, bowles, nigel, jones, halbert eds. Securing canadian sovereignty in the arctic canada. What will be one of the right honourable stephen harpers legacies during his nine years in office as canadas twentysecond prime minister will be his. Documents on canadian arctic sovereignty and security one. Chapter 1 the canadian media and arctic sovereignty crises. In 2000, the international commission on intervention and state sovereignty was established to confront the tension between sovereignty and security. Arctic sovereignty and security in a climatechanging world.
The new arctic challenge the militarization of the arctic oran r. Sep 23, 20 canadas priorities for 202015 as chair of the arctic council have been criticized widely and fairly by many experts in arctic defence, but on the basis of canadian capabilities and interests in the arctic, these priorities might just be the most logical and realistic hope for canada in its ability to maintain security over its claims to the arctic. Arctic security, climate change and sovereignty 37 a few introductory remarks on arctic security 37 climate change and the arctic 37 climate change and sovereignty 39 russia 40 the usa 43 canada 45 norway 46 denmark 48 the illulissat declaration 49. Canadas arctic sovereignty is firmly anchored in history. He is a frequent commentator in both national and international media and is very frequently interviewed for newspaper and magazine articles about northern sovereignty and security topics. Where doubt has risen over canadas claims to arctic sovereignty is in the islands north of the canadian mainland. With the collapse of the soviet union the strategic importance of the arctic briefly diminished as tensions between the arctic countries cooled. Canada must assert sovereignty over the arctic while theres still time senator dennis patterson.
Arctic security and legal issues in the 21st century. This barcode number lets you verify that youre getting exactly the right version or edition of a book. Dcass centre for military, security and strategic studies. Arctic sovereignty and security in the north through the use of. Sovereignty, security, and stewardship, the authors, all leading commentators on arctic affairs, grapple with fundamental questions about how canada should craft a responsible and effective northern strategy. Climate change and arctic sovereignty december 6, 2017 by victoria herrmann tai in the news policy talks victoria herrmann discusses climate change, sovereignty, and national identity in the canadian arctic with policy talks podcast. Of course, residents of nunavut are citizens of canada, and deserve public services comparable to those provided to all canadians.
To many canadians, cultural, linguistic and environmental security. Climate change and rising oil prices have thrust the arctic to the top of the foreign policy agenda and raised difficult issues of sovereignty, security and environmental protection. State department pointed out that americas global interest in the freedom of the sea trumped and would always trump arctic security concerns. Contemporary canadian arctic policy can be found to stand squarely under the motto arctic. National sovereignty should be the cornerstone of u. Sovereignty has been a major and obsessive ingredient in canadian defense policy. Nato arctic security and canadian sovereignty in the far.
Yet, foreign policy scholars from other arctic states are not fixated on sovereignty. Putin understands canadas concerns on arctic sovereignty. Some of the early explorers here were british martin frobisher, 1576, john davis, 1585 and 1587, and others but many of these islands were reached and explored by scandinavians or americans see arctic exploration. Securing canadian sovereignty in the arctic who owns the. On august 15, the arctic security initiative convened a technology working group of policy and technical experts to discuss the continuing challenges of operating in the arctic, one of a series focused on how best to help policy makers understand both the importance and the challenges of the us arctic region. Pdf contested sovereignty in a changing arctic researchgate.
Canadas sovereignty over its arctic waters will be chal lenged as a warming climate decreases the levels of polar ice coverage, thereby making navigation easier for international marine traffic. Arctic nations continue to assert their sovereignty through military means. Petersen competing images of the eastwest strategic environment. All authors are specialists on the arctic, and their white papers critically examine issues of sovereignty, security, and environmental protection, among others. The volumes contain summaries or transcriptions of key primary source material from. Part i march 15, 2011 march 15, 2011 coha only a few short weeks ago, a u. Interest in the northwest passage arises from its potential for international shipping.
Canadas arctic sovereignty is on thin ice now magazine. Nunalivut 2015, last springs arctic sovereignty manoeuvres promoted by the military as a largescale military exercise, involved little more than 200 personnel. This finding illustrates a tendency to view security in the arctic in broad terms. These islands are joined, not divided, by the waters between them. In the context of the cold war, canada sent inuit families to the far north in the high arctic relocation, partly to establish territoriality. The changing arctic is a topic of increasing interest to the maritime security community. Apr 01, 2015 the united states takes over the chairmanship of the arctic council from canada on april 24 during the arctic council ministerial meeting in iqaluit, nunavut, canada. These ebooks are edited summaries and document compendiums, compiled as research tools to serve as a basis for in depth research. Almost 100 years ago, in 1909, a plaque was installed on melville island by famed quebecois seaman joseph bernier, captain of the canadian government ship arctic. Dec 06, 2017 climate change and arctic sovereignty december 6, 2017 by victoria herrmann tai in the news policy talks victoria herrmann discusses climate change, sovereignty, and national identity in the canadian arctic with policy talks podcast. With 162,000 kilometers of arctic coastline, it is undeniable that the increased global interest in the arctic region is a pivotal concern to canadas strategic interests. Documents on canadian arctic sovereignty and security one of. Human security and development in the arctic wilson center. These ebooks are edited summaries and document compendiums, compiled as research tools to serve as a basis for indepth research.
This series was created to disseminate core documents on canadian arctic sovereignty and security for use by the academic community, students, and policy makers. Introduction media, security and sovereignty in the canadian arctic. Arctic framework that will serve as a guideline for rules of engagement. How have territorial sovereignty concerns affected canadian defense policy and its defense relationship with the united states.
A recent international conference in ottawa has provided much food for thought on this question. Governing the north american arctic sovereignty, security, and institutions. Young strategic interests in the arctic ocean michael mccgwire soviet military objectives in the arctic theatre and how they might be obtained charles c. Arctic, climate change, ice, north pole, sovereignty. Improved access for shipping and resource development is leading to new international rules on safety, pollution prevention and emergency response. Documents on canadian arctic sovereignty and security one of the great polar navigators captain t. Arctic sovereignty and security in a climatechanging world 3 executive summary in may of this year, about 200 kilometres north of the arctic circle, representatives from the five coastal states of the arctic gathered in the small town of ilulissat, greenland to discuss the future of the north. However, a recent public opinion survey, rethinking the top of the world.
The aim of the thematic network on geopolitics and security is to combine the two focus areas studies on geopolitics, and security studies, and based on that to draw up a holistic picture on arctic geopolitics and northern security as well as to identify and analyze major changes of them. The arctic is indeed part of our history, as the prime minister noted, and a robust understanding of previous sovereignty and security thinking, policy, and practices should inform our assessment of policy options, probable future scenarios, and the feasibility of proposed courses of action. A ship carry ing oil from europe to asia has to travel roughly,000. Canada must be prepared to deal with challenges to its arctic sovereignty and security now, in a concise and effective manner. It proclaimed, on the ground for the first time, canadas sovereignty over the entire arctic archipelago. Shipping in the arctic ocean is becoming a critical legal, geopolitical and security issue as a result of climate change and increased interest from non arctic states such as china. Documents on canadian arctic sovereignty and security. In rapidlychanging arctic societies, security can no longer be exclusively about military threats, and sovereignty cannot fixate solely on the. That said, an effective sovereignty and security program in the arctic should be multipronged, and investments. Denmarks sovereignty over all of greenland was recognized by the united states in 1916 and by an international court in 1933.
Chapter 5 social media, arctic tourism and the crystal serenity. Rising tensions could further escalate the militarization of the region. Sovereignty, security, and institutions st antonys series berry, dawn alexandrea, bowles, nigel, jones, halbert on. In recent years, rapid climate change has brought the far north to the publics attention. Jul 15, 2014 the arctic which is governed by canada, russia, the u. Canadian arctic sovereignty essay 1220 words bartleby. May 01, 20 other arctic nations are well ahead of the u. Promises of vast resources and fabled shipping lanes set free by a melting ice pack have triggered a competition for land and influence across the region.
Canadas wholeofgovernment approach to arctic sovereignty and security aligns with the horizontal, collaborative approach to maritime security used for all canadian waters and approaches. Ccg is a core member of canadas maritime security community and collaborates with partners through a variety of fora to advance arctic objectives. Arctic security means more than arctic sovereignty the. Canadas northern strategy under prime minister stephen harper. Canada falling short on arctic sovereignty geopolitical monitor. They outline diverse paths to achieving sovereignty, security, and stewardship in canadas arctic. They also make recommendations on what leadership role canada should play in the arctic. At first glance it conjures up notions of border security and military operations. In the arctic, sovereignty equals security and stability. Expressing concerns over maritime safety and security, recognition of northern sovereignty, and protection of the fragile arctic environment, canada has sought to exercise greater authority over. The harper government has branded itself as a resolute defender of canadas arctic sovereignty. Jan 20, 2016 nunalivut 2015, last springs arctic sovereignty manoeuvres promoted by the military as a largescale military exercise, involved little more than 200 personnel.
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