Canadian Conservatives vow to defend Arctic sovereignty
{{date|December 23, 2005}}
[[Image:IS2004-2140a copy.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Members of a Canadian naval boarding party during a sovereignty exercise in the Canadian Arctic.]]
The {{w|Conservative Party of Canada}} leader {{w|Stephen Harper}} today made bold claims about the [[Canada|Canadian]] {{w|Arctic}} region at a campaign stop in {{w|Winnipeg}}, "The single most important duty of the federal government is to protect and defend our national {{w|sovereignty}}." . The {{w|Prime Minister of Canada|prime minister}}-hopeful stated, "There are new and disturbing reports of American {{w|nuclear submarines}} passing though Canadian waters without obtaining the permission of &mdash;or even notifying &mdash; the Canadian government."

Harper promised a significant increase in military presence in the Canadian region, which has had notable soveriegnty disputes with the {{w|United States}}, {{w|Russia}}, {{w|Denmark}} and {{w|Norway}}.
"You don't defend national sovereignty with flags," Harper said. "You need forces on the ground, ships in the sea, and proper surveillance."

Among other promises, Harper stated he would station three armed naval heavy ice breakers in the area of {{w|Iqaluit}} with 500 regular force personnel, recruit 500 more Canadian rangers, and build a new army training center in the area of {{w|Cambridge Bay}} on the {{w|Northwest Passage}}.

{{missing image|Image:Stephen Harper voa.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Stephen Harper, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada}}
"As prime minister, I will make it clear to foreign governments &mdash; including the United States &mdash; that naval vessels traveling in Canadian territorial waters will require the consent of the government of Canada," Harper stated.

The Conservative Party Website states this "“Canada First” Northern Strategy will increase surveillance, navy, army and air force presence".

The {{w|Liberal Party of Canada}}, the Conservatives' most powerful rival in the election, quickly posted a rebuttal on their website. They claim Stephen Harpers stated defense budget of $5.3({{w|Canadian dollar|CAD}}) billion over 5 years is not enough to afford the two polar icebreakers, which the Liberal party claims will cost $3(CAD) billion with the party estimating an upkeep of $150(CAD) million per year. "Where does Mr. Harper plan to find another $1 billion?" the party asked in their rebuttal.

The Arctic may be an important issue in the future for Canadians, as scientists expect the fabled Northwest Passage of the Arctic to open up for year round shipping by 2050 as a result of {{w|global warming}}. According to the online encyclopedia {{w|Wikipedia}}, trade routes from {{w|Europe}} to the {{w|Far East}} could save 4000 {{w|Kilometre|km}} through the passage, as compared to the current routes through the {{w|Panama Canal}}.

Canada last flexed its muscle in the Arctic in 2004 in its most massive Arctic exercise ever, with six hundred personnel from the three services ({{w|Canadian Forces Land Force Command|army}}, {{w|Canadian Forces Air Command|air force}}, {{w|Canadian Forces Maritime Command|navy}}) involved in a large exercise in the {{w|Baffin Islands}}.

Canadians are scheduled to go to the polls on January 23, 2006 in an early election as a result of a {{w|no confidence|non-confidence}} motion in parliament against the former ruling Liberal party.

== Sources ==

*{{source
|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051222/wl_canada_afp/canadavotearctic
|title=Conservative leader Harper asserts Canada's Arctic claims 
|author=
|pub=AFP
|date=December 22, 2005
|brokenURL=true
}}

*{{source
|url=http://www.conservative.ca/EN/1738/36554?PHPSESSID=6294077915e0acb3cbb3e3649998bd92
|title=Stephen Harper stands up for Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic
|author=
|pub=Conservative Party of Canada
|date=December 22, 2005
|brokenURL   = true
|archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20051225041658/https://www.conservative.ca/EN/1738/36554?PHPSESSID=6294077915e0acb3cbb3e3649998bd92
|archivedescription = Archived by archive.org on December 25, 2005
}}

*{{source
|url=http://www.liberal.ca/news_e.aspx?id=11283
|title=Conservative Plan for Icebreakers
|author=
|pub=Liberal Party of Canada
|date=December 22, 2005
|brokenURL   = true
|archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20060105160312/http://www.liberal.ca/news_e.aspx?id=11283
|archivedescription = Archived by archive.org on Jan. 5, 2006
}}

*{{source
|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2004/08/18/military_narwhal040818.html
|title=Military exercise to reaffirm Arctic claims
|author=
|pub=CBC News
|date=August 22, 2004
|brokenURL=true
|archiveurl= https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/military-exercise-to-reaffirm-arctic-claims-1.503931
|archivedescription=updated link on cbc.ca website
}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.conservative.ca/ Conservative Party of Canada Official Website]
* [http://www.liberal.ca/ Liberal Party of Canada Official Website]  

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{{archive}}

[[Category:Canada]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Stephen Harper]]
[[Category:Elections]]
[[Category:Arctic]]
[[Category:Icebreakers]]
[[Category:Northwest Passage]]
[[Category:Conservative Party of Canada]]
Members of a Canadian naval boarding party during a sovereignty exercise in the Canadian Arctic.
The Stephen Harper today made bold claims about the Canadian Winnipeg, "The single most important duty of the federal government is to protect and defend our national Prime Minister of Canada|prime minister-hopeful stated, "There are new and disturbing reports of American  passing though Canadian waters without obtaining the permission of —or even notifying — the Canadian government."

Harper promised a significant increase in military presence in the Canadian region, which has had notable soveriegnty disputes with the Russia, Norway.
"You don't defend national sovereignty with flags," Harper said. "You need forces on the ground, ships in the sea, and proper surveillance."

Among other promises, Harper stated he would station three armed naval heavy ice breakers in the area of Cambridge Bay on the .


"As prime minister, I will make it clear to foreign governments — including the United States — that naval vessels traveling in Canadian territorial waters will require the consent of the government of Canada," Harper stated.

The Conservative Party Website states this "“Canada First” Northern Strategy will increase surveillance, navy, army and air force presence".

The Canadian dollar|CAD) billion over 5 years is not enough to afford the two polar icebreakers, which the Liberal party claims will cost $3(CAD) billion with the party estimating an upkeep of $150(CAD) million per year. "Where does Mr. Harper plan to find another $1 billion?" the party asked in their rebuttal.

The Arctic may be an important issue in the future for Canadians, as scientists expect the fabled Northwest Passage of the Arctic to open up for year round shipping by 2050 as a result of Wikipedia, trade routes from Far East could save 4000 km through the passage, as compared to the current routes through the .

Canada last flexed its muscle in the Arctic in 2004 in its most massive Arctic exercise ever, with six hundred personnel from the three services (army, air force, navy) involved in a large exercise in the .

Canadians are scheduled to go to the polls on January 23, 2006 in an early election as a result of a non-confidence motion in parliament against the former ruling Liberal party.

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Canada North America Politics and conflicts Stephen Harper Elections Arctic Icebreakers Northwest Passage Conservative Party of Canada