Canada asserts control over Arctic waters
Agence France-Presse
First Posted 07:01:00 08/28/2008
OTTAWA -- Canada is extending its jurisdiction over icy Arctic waters to 200 nautical miles off its coast, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Wednesday while on his seventh trip to Canada's northern frontier.
The new limit doubles the range at which Canada's environmental laws and shipping regulations would be enforced, he said.
In addition, all ships navigating or destined for the treacherous waters would be required to report their presence to Canadian officials, Harper said.
"Whether it is the thawing of the Northwest Passage or the suspected resource riches under the Arctic seabed, more and more countries are taking an interest in the waterways of the Canadian Arctic," said Harper.
"We will be sending a clear message to the world that our environmental standards and sovereignty are not up for debate -- if you are in Canada’s Arctic you will be playing by Canada’s rules."
Canada currently regulates rare shipping up to 100 nautical miles from its northern coast in order to guard against polluting the region’s pristine marine and coastal environments.
The proposed changes require amendments to the Canada Shipping Act and the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act in the coming months.
"As an environmental matter, as a security matter and as an economic matter we are making it perfectly clear that not only do we claim jurisdiction over the Canadian Arctic, we are also going to put the full resources of the government of Canada behind enforcing that jurisdiction," Harper said.
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