Canada's Arctic

Prime Minister Harper -- I love using his name, because whenever I do someone from the House of Commons logs in to see what I've written about the man -- today announced "the construction of up to eight Polar Class 5 Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships and the establishment of a deep water port in the far North."

The reason is simple. the U.S. doesn't acknowledge Canada's sovereignty in the Far North. Every now and then, the U.S. sends a ship up there and we have to complain to get them to leave.

I guess moving all those Inuit families to remote locations with nothing to do, no economy, no wildlife, etc. didn't do the trick.

Maybe spending approximately $7.5 billion on ships, a port and maintenance

will.

Seriously, President Bush, do you really need all that ice and snow for a new military base? I know you want it, but do you NEED it?

If you'd like to find out about Inuit relocation, I've included a few links.

Sovereignty and suffering

Relocation anniversary

If you'd like to read the news release, I've included it below as it isn't posted on the PM's site yet.

PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER ANNOUNCES NEW ARCTIC OFFSHORE PATROL SHIPS

Canada’s New Government to move forward with deep water port in the Arctic

July 9, 2007

ESQUIMALT, BRITISH COLUMBIA

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced the construction of up to eight Polar Class 5 Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships and the establishment of a deep water port in the far North.

“Canada has a choice when it comes to defending our sovereignty over the Arctic. We either use it or lose it. And make no mistake, this Government intends to use it. Because Canada’s Arctic is central to our national identity as a northern nation. It is part of our history. And it represents the tremendous potential of our future,” said Prime Minister Harper.

These new Polar Class 5 Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships will be custom-designed and built in Canada, and will be amongst the heaviest, most versatile armed naval vessels capable of sustained operations in ice. With steel-reinforced hulls, they will be capable of operating in ice up to one metre thick, and each vessel will also be equipped with a helicopter landing pad. They will be able to patrol the length of the Northwest Passage during the summer navigable season and its approaches year-round, and will also be capable of full operations on the East and West Coasts throughout the year.

To conduct sea-borne surveillance operations in the Arctic, a deep water port will be constructed to allow the patrol ships to re-supply and re-fuel.

“In defending our nation’s sovereignty, nothing is as fundamental as protecting Canada’s territorial integrity; our borders, our airspace and our waters,” said the Prime Minister. “More and more, as global commerce routes chart a path to Canada’s North and as the oil, gas and minerals of this frontier become more valuable, northern resource development will grow ever more critical to our country.”

The estimated cost of acquiring the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships is $3.1 billion, with approximately $4.3 billion provided for operations and maintenance over their 25-year lifespan.
The procurement strategy will conform to the Canadian Shipbuilding Policy Framework, which requires the federal government to procure, repair and refit vessels in Canada.