Is Canada’s Sovereignty Really Floating Away?
In the 1940’s, Canada’s attention was brusquely turned to the Arctic Archipelago. The nuclear age focused attention on the Arctic: Canada’s undefended north and its proximity to the Soviet Union meant that the Canadian government had to abandon its laissez-faire attitude of the 1930’s and pursue a policy of active monitoring and intervention. Lacking the finances and manpower, Canada had little choice but to turn to the United States for military presence and weapons. These “collaborative” defence efforts to guard against a common nuclear threat, while maximizing Canada’s security, also maximized Canada’s potential loss of sovereignty1. Today, Canada’s claim to the Arctic is still not recognized by the United States. But now, because of lucrative commercial interests, Canada will fixate on the protection of its northern border once more. The need to settle Canada’s sovereignty claim has become more pressing since the findings of a group of international scientists studying the effects
