Which Country Controls the Arctic Ocean?

This isn't the sort of topic I had intended to address in this blog, but after reading, first, an article in the Globe and Mail this weekend about our non-existent presence on the northern ocean and its implications to our claims in the area, and then a second in the New York Times decrying how the lack of US ice breakers is imperilling their own interests, I simply couldn't resist.

Our hand wringing over Arctic sovereignty usually focusses on the US. While they do have a massively larger navy and coast guard they are almost as badly off as Canada when it comes to navigating through ice. That surprised me.

It turns out that the real power in the Arctic is Russia; they have a large ice breaking fleet, an advantage which will continue for another decade at the very least. Considering the renewed tension between the Russia and the US (and us via NATO), rapid opening of the northwest passage, or at least an increase in open water, oil and gas exploration, and claim staking by all countries bordering the Arctic Ocean, there could be some incidents over the coming years.

Canada will be seriously challenged to defend its Arctic interests as our more powerful neighbours jockey for position. Our economic capacity to patrol and defend the Arctic, and our claims, pales in comparison, no matter what we do or what our politicians say.