U.S. sub goes through Canadian territory. Didnt tell them.

www.canada.com...

U.S. nuclear submarine cruised through the Arctic Ocean last month -- probably passing through Canadian territorial waters -- but the federal government is refusing to say whether it gave permission for the voyage.

However, experts say it is highly unlikely Canada was even notified of the USS Charlotte's northern tour, which included a Nov. 10 stop at the North Pole, because it has no way of tracking what goes on beneath the Arctic ice.

And that could threaten Canada's claim to hundreds of thousands of square kilometres of the North, including the Northwest Passage route across the Arctic, said Michael Byers, who holds the Canada research chair in global politics and international law at the University of British Columbia.

"This is very important -- it's crucial," he said. "Any unauthorized passage could have a serious effect on our claim."

Prof. Byers said potentially lucrative oil and gas resources off the Queen Elizabeth Islands could slip out of Canadian control if foreign navies are operating in the Arctic without our permission. "The fact of the matter is that we've spent nothing on Arctic sovereignty over the past 20 years."

Pierre Leblanc, a retired colonel and former commander of the Canadian Forces' northern command, said foreign submarines have been travelling through the Canadian Arctic for decades, but the federal government usually finds out about it only by accident.

He said the nations controlling the submarines -- the Americans, British and French -- usually do not tell Canada when their vessels enter the Arctic. "We're relying on their goodwill to know if they're in our waters or not."

I wonder why this article is in existence when it has been know for decades that foreign subs have passed through before. Why now? Is is about fear of Americans taking Canada's territory? That hasnt happened centuries ago. So why this scare now? Also it exposed Canada's vunerability and the lack of spending on defense. Four diesel subs just dont cut it.

Probably because we are in discussions with the Danes over who owns Hans Island. It affects our country's boundaries. With the US cruising about willy-nilly, it hurts our claim to the island because it shows the US doesn't consider it Canadian waters.

This has been going on for over 40 years, but that doesn't make it any less irritating. I don't think it's about fear, I think it's about lack of respect.

Oh yeah, it's also election time. The good news is that it seems no matter who is elected the Armed Forces are getting money.

[edit on 19-12-2005 by Duzey]

Originally posted by Duzey


Oh yeah, it's also election time. The good news is that it seems no matter who is elected the Armed Forces are getting money.

[edit on 19-12-2005 by Duzey]

That's is what I am seeing myself.
Our Friends to the North should not fear us playing in there back yard.
And I do know that Subs coming and goings are not a thing of talk.
You would have to have a real ATS clearance to know this kind of thing.

You know what? I could care less about US Military Boats or Subs in Canadian waters, it's the Fishing Trawlers I can't stand. US and Euro trawlers caused the East Coast Cod Collapse.

If just the boats that were supposed to be fishing their fished there then this would not have happened IMO.