Quote:
Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction
To be honest, I never understood why just because some British sailors saw the islands and declared them property of Britain, and later Canada; that they are legally ours. I don't think this type of land claim process would hold up to modern sensibilities.
I think one of the main reasons why the Nunavut territory was incorporated was to make an agreement between Canada and Inuit to ensure Canadian sovereignty over the eastern and extreme northern Arctic. They (Inuit) agreed to recognize the authority of the Canadian government in exchange for a level of autonomy and self-government. That whole area of the Arctic is traditional Inuit territory and Canada's best hope for Arctic sovereignty is to maintain that relationship. It doesn't help with military defense, but on a legal level when it comes to international disputes, it is the one thing that Canada has going for it at the moment.
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Wouldn't that same logic apply to all of Canada? It was found and declared French/British property.