FOKUS KANADA Pia Bungarten 1023 15 th Street NW,# 801 Washington, DC 20005 USA Tel.:+1 202 408 5444 Fax:+1 202 408 5537 fesdc@fesdc.org www.fesdc.org Nr. 2/ 2009 “The Arctic Is Ours”: Canada’s Arctic Policy- Between Sovereignty and Climate Change Petra Dolata-Kreutzkamp i • Arctic policy is not new to the political landscape of Canada. However, an increased level of public and international interest has been observed in the past few years. • Canadian Arctic policy is found to span national debate from regional, social, and environmental policy on one side to foreign policy on the other. • Contemporary Canadian Arctic policy can be found to stand squarely under the motto“Arctic Sovereignty” – which lends legal, military, and security policy overtones to the changes currently taking place. This discourse has developed over time and is an important part of Canadian national identity. The discourse also addresses Canada’s most significant economic and security partner: the U.S. • Ottawa’s most recent Arctic policy has been based on non-federal stakeholders. This strengthens the position of the Provinces, which have taken the lead on coordination in the Arctic region. • The Canadian government is emphasizing the cooperative motif of their contemporary Arctic policy. As evidence, one can look at their cooperative relationship with the Arctic-abutting states. In addition, Ottawa supports related international and Arctic Circle institutions. International Developments: The Arctic, Re­Discovered. Climate change has changed the Canadian Arctic, and above all, it has made it more accessible. Studies predict a sizeable rise in temperature and an ice-free Arctic in the next decade, a navigable Northwest Passage could shorten the shipping route from Europe to Asia by 30-40% in comparison to the current route through the Panama Canal. Nations including China, Japan, and South Korea have therefore begun their own ambitious programs to build icebreakers, Arctic-ready container ships and tankers. Additionally, the Arctic holds vast natural resources, including oil, gas, minerals,