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My Take | The next battleground between East and West may be the Arctic

  • As the ice melts and new shipping lanes open up, Canada’s sovereign claim over the Northwest Passage is likely to become hotly contested

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The Arctic sections of Canada’s Northern Territories – long commercially a wasteland – could be developed into valuable real estate. Photo:  Shutterstock
Alex Loin Toronto

It’s not every day that friendly and inoffensive Canada gets lumped with nasty Russia and China. But that was what Mike Pompeo did when he last attended the Arctic Council (AC) as US secretary of state under Donald Trump.

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“We recognise that Russia is not the only nation making illegitimate claims,” he said. “The US has a long-contested feud with Canada over sovereign claims through the Northwest Passage.”

If every crisis presents an opportunity, the converse is also true. Pompeo points to the challenges Canada faces or will face when enough Arctic ice melts because of climate change.

The waters off its shores will open the major waterway known as the Northwest Passage, potentially cutting shipping time between Europe and Asia by half.

When enough Arctic ice melts because of climate change, Canada has a real shot at becoming a major commercial port and maritime powerhouse. Photo: Getty Images
When enough Arctic ice melts because of climate change, Canada has a real shot at becoming a major commercial port and maritime powerhouse. Photo: Getty Images

Should that happen, Canada has a real shot at becoming a major commercial port and maritime powerhouse by claiming the passage as its own sovereign territorial waters.

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