The Canadian Arctic is heating up in more ways than one as of recent. On the eve of what is expected to be an election call this Sunday when Prime Minister Harper visits Rideau Hall to ask the Governor General to dissolve the 39th Parliament, a main focus of attention for the projected mid-October election will be Arctic sovereignty.
What will make the issue of Arctic soveregnty much more of interest are current environmental factors which are allowing this region to become more accessible. As of September 4th, the Arctic sea ice melt season (approximately two weeks remain) is within 370,000 square kilometers of last year’s record setting values, while this past August saw daily sea ice loss values at 78,000 square kilometers — the record is in sight once again. Additionally, both major routes of the Northwest Passage have become fully navigable for only the second time in modern recorded history (last year was its first).
Regardless if one is to believe in global warming or not, the fact remains that the environment of the Arctic is changing and tangible examples are readily available to support such a notion. To that end, a storm of political rhetoric is surely on the Canadian horizon.