The NorthWest passage

[flashy_mcflash]

[opento]

lets hear your opinions 1st

The Northwest Passage is internation, it doesn't belong to Canada.

[Shaner]

The Northwest Passage is internation, it doesn't belong to Canada.

Very well thought out. Clearly you did a lot of research into this topic.

[danfromwaterloo]

With global warming, the dreams of a NorthWest Passage will finally be a reality.

This will have huge economic, political and social implications for Canada.

What are your opinions?

Share.

Current shipping routes to the far east often pass through the Panama Canal, or, ship to Vancouver/California, which then get put on a train and shipped to the East Coast where they get transferred back to ship.

Here's the problem as I see it: in order for the Northwest Passage to make sense to shippers, it needs to save them money, either through levies enforced at the Panama Canal, or fuel savings as a result of a shorter trip. As the largest shipper would be from China, the Panama Canal is far more of a direct passage to Europe and the East Coast. The added fuel costs to go around would likely cost the shippers far more than any potential charge to get through Panama. Look at a map - you can see how, really, this would only benefit shipments from Korea/Russia to the East Coast, Iceland or the UK. That's a relatively small amount of goods, and not a sizable economic goldmine that people expect it to be.

Politically, Northern sovereignty has always been a contentious issue, and the development of a bona fide year-round route would likely cause some headaches with the usual suspects (US, Russia, Norway, Denmark, etc).

Socially, how will this affect the natives of the North that have relied on ice bridges to get from island to island - what will this do to demographics and population?

[opento]

Very well thought out. Clearly you did a lot of research into this topic.

reported

[danfromwaterloo]

The Northwest Passage is internation, it doesn't belong to Canada.

Only if the arctic is fully melted. If it's only partially melted, they need to access the passage via the waterway north of Banks Island, which is Canadian Territory.

[danfromwaterloo]

reported

For what, being mean or being accurate?

[Shaner]

reported

Okay then, lets hear your thoughts. You started this topic and have shared nothing. If you have any actual thoughts on this subject, lets hear them.

[flashy_mcflash]

reported

Why are you wasting time reporting people when you should be working on your essay? You're giving us pot smokers a bad name.

[opento]

Here you see the advantage of the Northern Sea Route, across Russia's northern shore when the ice is clear, as compared to the current Southern Route between Europe and Asia. It allows much shorter passage from Europe to Asia, saving fuel, time and risk. The volume of materiel moving along these routes is unimaginable.

The Northwest Passage, which is more complicated to navigate, does not serve nearly so populous a market, and the distance savings from, say, the NE USA to the West Coast as compared to using the Panama Canal, is not nearly as significant as the Northern Sea Route will be to the folks on the other side of the world.

[danfromwaterloo]

Here you see the advantage of the Northern Sea Route, across Russia's northern shore when the ice is clear, as compared to the current Southern Route between Europe and Asia. It allows much shorter passage from Europe to Asia, saving fuel, time and risk. The volume of materiel moving along these routes is unimaginable.

The Northwest Passage, which is more complicated to navigate, does not serve nearly so populous a market, and the distance savings from, say, the NE USA to the West Coast as compared to using the Panama Canal, is not nearly as significant as the Northern Sea Route will be to the folks on the other side of the world.

Irrelevant. Your discussion is about the Northwest Passage, not the Northern Sea Route. The reason behind the large tonnage on this route is because it serves as an export route for China to Europe. The key here is China. If we open up the Northwest Passage year-round, it doesn't offer a substantive savings.

[whampoa]

For some reason I think the USA will force/strongly suggest/Harper will roll over: a "It is in the entire continents best interest for us to "assist" you Canadians in securing this vital link. So how bout it ol buddy ol pal?" agreement. Then the USA will park at least a stripped down, if not full, battle group there until a permanent NORAD style co-op base is built.

I am not normally into conspiracy theory, but I will not pass it through the American. In matter concerning the Western hemisphere.

Heck they made up a country call Panama, in order to built a canal through it. In the name of progress and trade.

[NorthYorker]

NWP can seriously benefit Canada by providing cheaper access to Northern mineral riches. Instead of trucking stuff all the way to Edmonton or Winterpeg (cost of transportation today makes unfeasible any Northern mining but diamond/uranium/etc. operations, with infinitesmall output of very expensive suff), mining companies will be able to load ore and dirt directly on freighters, the way it happens today in Quebec.

[whampoa]

NWP can seriously benefit Canada by providing cheaper access to Northern mineral riches. Instead of trucking stuff all the way to Edmonton or Winterpeg (cost of transportation today makes unfeasible any Northern mining but diamond/uranium/etc. operations, with infinitesmall output of very expensive suff), mining companies will be able to load ore and dirt directly on freighters, the way it happens today in Quebec.

The real wealth in the Arctic (minerals, oil and natural gas) is in Canada, not Russia.

Why do you think the Russian submarine deliberate plan their flag, under the Arctic Ocean, on the Canadian side?

[wilsonlam97]

In b4 dah polical lock.

OP should be banned for political bait lol. Why did the OP report people? The mods aren't stupid, they'll look into it first.