Arctic Front arises out of our collective frustration. Recently, debate about Arctic sovereignty has filled the nation’s newspapers. It’s an old, old story, dating back many decades. This time around, the challenge of global warming, the retreat of the polar ice cap, and the race for Arctic oil and gas have given the discussion a twenty-first-century twist. But the underlying issue—does and can Canada exercise effective control over its High Arctic islands and the Northwest Passage—has changed little since the nineteenth century.
Canada has had this debate before, notably during the Klondike gold rush, the Second World War, the Cold War, and the voyage of the Manhattan. Our motivation in joining it was a desire to change the national debate on Arctic sovereignty. Questions about Canadian control of the Arctic—and national responsibilities in the Far North—have bedevilled this country since the 1880s. Canadians have yet to get it right, and, equally important, our nation continues to forget the history of early episodes when Canadian sovereignty in the North came into question. We see the issue as a classic example of the truism that those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it. Arctic Front is our attempt to explain the origins of the contemporary debate and to challenge long-standing Canadian assumptions about its northern role and commitments.
It is unusual to have four people collaborate on a book, but our individual backgrounds and experiences all proved pivotal to the development of the project. Greg Poelzer is a political scientist and a specialist on circumpolar Arctic affairs. He made sure that we understood the global context of the current debate. Whitney Lackenbauer is a historian specializing in post–Second World War sovereignty and security issues in the Arctic. His field research has taken him from the Labrador Sea to the wilds of the Yukon to Ellesmere Island—and it doesn’t get any farther north than that! Bill Morrison has been writing on Arctic sovereignty issues for many years, focusing initially on the role of the North West Mounted Police in establishing Canada’s presence in the North. Ken Coates, raised in Whitehorse, Yukon, has had a longstanding professional interest in the American military projects in the Canadian North during World War II and in contemporary northern politics. What we share is a powerful belief that historical understanding matters—on this issue and others—and that Canada needs to think seriously about its commitment to the Far North, though in ways different than that typically argued in the current sovereignty debate.
That this book has come together in a timely and professional fashion is due, in large measure, to the wonderful assistance provided by others. Our agent, Denise Bukowski, provided superb guidance and timely interventions that kept us on track and on time. Several professional associates read the manuscript very carefully and saved us from some crucial errors; their timely advice was greatly appreciated. Jim Allen and Patrick Crean of Thomas Allen Publishers saw the merit in what we proposed and agreed to publish our thoughts. Janice Zawerbny provided excellent editorial assistance and advice, for which we are truly grateful. And, as always, our families and professional colleagues at the University of Waterloo, St. Jerome’s University, the University of Northern British Columbia, and the University of Saskatchewan offered both support and encouragement.
Ken S. Coates
P. Whitney Lackenbauer
William Morrison
Greg Poelzer