Breaking the Ice: Who Owns the Northwest Passage? Presented by Marianne Kenney Social Studies Instructional Specialist Denver Public Schools

Shameless Plug Attended: –2009 Study Canada Summer Institute Created lesson plan “Breaking the Ice: Who Owns the Northwest Passage?” –2010 Northeast Canadian Studies Summer Institute “Quebec Dimension” Created lesson plan “The New Quebecers”

Turn and Talk Rate your knowledge… –4 Wizard: I should be sitting in your seat –3 Proficient: I know about this –2 Regular: I have some familiarity –1 Novice: I am not familiar with this…yet!

Arctic Issues –How would you rate your knowledge of the following issues? Current events related to the Northwest Passage Climate Change in the Arctic Politics surrounding “sovereignty” Economic rights to resources lying under Arctic waters

The Big Picture Goal: Learn about economic issues surrounding race for Arctic resources and territory © NASA

Climate Change Projected Ice Extent – Source: ACIA

Unimaginable? By the year 2020 if the race for the Arctic is not resolved, a real polar war could break out over the scramble for oil and gas Jane’s International Defense Review, a British think tank, warns

Oil and Gas Oil and Gas: Resources of the North Source: AMAP

The Northwest Passage © CASES

Lesson: Who Owns the Northwest Passage”? Student Scenario

Guidelines for Maritime Disputes Canada’s position UNCLOS: International set of legal standards about regulations of the seas US and other Arctic nations position

The Northwest Passage Principal nations are the six Arctic nations: –Russia –United States –Norway –Denmark (Greenland) –Iceland –Canada © CASES

Defending Sovereignty “ 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.” Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Passage Pioneers Roald Amundsen, August 1905, first successful navigation. Aboard the Gjoa (Oslo- Pacific). St-Roch, 1944, Northern Deep-Water Route. Sedna IV, August- November 2002, sailed from Magdalen Island to Vancouver. What’s next ? © CASES

Economic Issues Tourism Ownership Oil and gas reserves Fisheries Shipping

Oslo to Tokyo Total travel distance for a one-way trip from Norway to Japan: Via Panama Canal: km Via Cape Horn: km Via Suez Canal (Asian Route): km Via Northwest Passage: km

Is the Northwest Passage shipping route between Europe and Asia safe and secure? Who has rights to the resources lying under the seabed? Is the Northwest Passage an "international strait" or, as Canada claims, "internal waters? What of the Inuit claim that sea ice constitutes traditional territory? Burning Issues

In Conclusion Climate Change is Transforming the Arctic New Perceptions Realities of Accessibility

Thank you! Marianne Kenney Denver Public Schools “Who Owns the Northwest Passage?” K-12 Study Canada website ns/2009SCSI_KenneyM_WhoControlsNWPa ssage_Gr_9_12.pdf

Questions