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From: robertj@garfield.UUCP (Robert Janes)
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: Re: Canada's defence : Doesn't anyone care?
Message-ID: <3501@garfield.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 4-Sep-85 07:49:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: garfield.3501
Posted: Wed Sep  4 07:49:47 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 4-Sep-85 13:26:47 EDT
References: <833@utcs.UUCP> <764@lsuc.UUCP> <5906@utzoo.UUCP> <774@lsuc.UUCP> <1952@mnetor.UUCP>
Reply-To: robertj@garfield.UUCP (Robert Janes)
Organization: Memorial U. of Nfld. C.S. Dept., St. John's
Lines: 81
Keywords: Polar Sea Incident: Why?
Summary: Shoot the Messenger

In article <1952@mnetor.UUCP> fred@mnetor.UUCP (Fred Williams) writes:
.
.
.
>
>    Furthermore, there was no need to do much.  The US gave us a
>letter, according to Macleans, that states that the voyage in no
>way affects Canada's claims on the area. 
.
.
.

>....  The only problem was that the press blew 
>everything out of proportion in order to improve their ratings.
>
>Cheers,		Fred Williams


******
	Here we go: let's shoot the messenger. I mean like wow how
can we doubt our American FRIENDS I mean like they gave us this neat
little note saying that would be nice people and not rub our noses
in the Polar Sea four or five years from now. These people in the
press are so icky poo to point out that our FRIEND the US doesn't
recognize our claim up there  in that there Artic and that they 
are never going to recognize our claim unless Canada kicks up
a stink.
********

	Sorry for the sarcasm above but those were my feelings
upon reading Mr. Williams note. The Polar Sea incident aside the United
States does not recognize our claim to the NorthWest Passage and
does show every intention of forcing the issue soon. If it won't
be for economic reasons ( LNG ) it will be for military reasons.
A note of the nature sent by Washington has no binding force under
International Law and it quite clearly cannot be construed as a
acceptance of our rights in the region as a request for permission 
to enter would be. What the note promises  is that if the case ever 
comes to court in one way or another the US will not use the Polar 
Sea voyage as a piece of evidence. I really don't think that is 
acceptable from a friend with whom we have now had a `special
relationship' with for a bit over a year.

	This does not absolve the Liberal Administration of blame in
the matter. The Trudeau Government chose to use rhetoric and publicity
as weapons in the matter but neglected the obvious necessity of 
ice breakers or submarines capable of working in the Artic year 
round regardless of the thickness of the ice. It is interesting to 
note that from  time of the Manhattan Incident to the time of the
Polar Sea Incident no ( American ) ships passed through the NW
Passage. This could mean either one of three things:

	1) The Americans have adopted a policy of "showing
	   the flag" within the first year of every Canadian
	   Adminstration ( Clark and Turner didn't last long enough ).

	2) they didn't want or need to send any ships through

	3) Trudeau kicked up to much of a fuss the last time and 
	   this Mulroney fellow seems like a bit more of a pushover.

I suspect that 2) and 3) are the most probable reasons with 3) being
 the most likely one  for the truly paranoid 1) would have it hands
 down.

	Perhaps this is an approriate time to re-evaluate Canada's
role in NATO and move towards a more Northern oriented viewpoint.
we can serve NATO and ourselves by securing the North from the
Soviets ( serves NATO and ourselves ) and the Americans ( serves
ourselves ). This would probably entail cancelling he construction of 
those frigates which have not yet begun construction and building a 
few Polar x class icebreakers as well as redeploying troops in Europe
in the North ( with the proper retraining of course ).

	In the end though I feel that it is disgraceful that the
Prime Minister had no comment to nake on the matter until the voyage
was over and its only fair to expect the press both conservative and
liberal to make an issue out of it.

				cheers 
				Robert Janes