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Canada must map Arctic seabed, minister says
Apr 18, 2008After returning from a trip to the polar cap where he visited a northern Canadian research outpost, Lunn said he was confident that scientists would finish their work on schedule by 2013, allowing Canada to stake its claim to controlling development near the North Pole.
"I really think it's important that we have jurisdictional control to ensure that we decide what's in our nation's interest," Lunn said in a phone interview. "We (would) make the rules on ensuring that the environment remains protected not to mention the economic benefits of the natural resources as well."
Lunn said that under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, scientific research is the key to mapping out boundaries. He said it means that the only major question about Canada's claims was on how large its shelves would be extended.
Jacob Verhoef, the director of Canada's UNCLOS program, said that the government researchers were trying to work closely with its counterparts from Denmark since the two share some common interests.
"It's an ideal situation where If we . . . both work together it would be efficient," said Verhoef. "We would have the scientific information and therefore would both have a stronger case to make to the United Nations if we both agree."
The issue of territorial claims in the north dominated international headlines last summer after a submarine planted a Russian flag on the seabed of the North Pole.
Under the UN convention, five Arctic countries - Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia and the United States - have 10 years to map out their territory following their ratification of the treaty.
Canada became party to the treaty when it ratified in 2003.
