National Defence committee  We have to make more use, if I may insist, of the Inuit. We must not only say, “Oh, you've been there a long time, thank you very much”, and we're going to invoke that. No. I think we have to do a little more than what we're doing now. As you know, you have the Canadian Rangers

National Defence committee  I want to bring to your attention this declaration, about three or four days ago, by the Inuit Circumpolar Council. It's a two-and-a-half-page declaration entitled “Declaration on Arctic Sovereignty”.

National Defence committee  If you have it, then you will have noticed the last line: “Inuit and Arctic states must, therefore, work together closely and constructively to chart the future of the Arctic.” They want to cooperate, they want to offer more, and I think we have to accept their offer.

National Defence committee  On your first question, you cannot determine in advance how many transits are necessary in order to say it is now an international strait and therefore that the new right of transit applies. I can only tell you—and somebody mentioned a moment ago the Corfu Channel case—there is n

National Defence committee  I'm sorry...?

National Defence committee  Well, sure, certainly. I believe that Canada has already said to the Americans that if they wish to take the matter to the international court, that's all well and good. Yes, absolutely, that is the way to go. I'm awfully sorry, but you had a second question, I believe.

National Defence committee  Oh, yes, I can.

National Defence committee  Shall we say that I have many things to say here, but there are two things I should perhaps mention. First, I do think we should do the best we can to conclude what I would call a transit agreement, not a right of transit, with the United States. It would provide for two things

National Defence committee  The expert on the financial side tells me to go ahead. Well, it's going to be very short, because I really don't know. I suppose I could say that insofar as the exploitation of natural resources, it is a very, shall we say, delicate matter to deal with. I am pleased, however, to

National Defence committee  That's correct. I'll take your second question first. Yes, transit passage means not only the right of navigation on and under water, but also the right of navigation over it as well. It means aircraft. You're absolutely right. I didn't mention that in my answer, but that is an

National Defence committee  You're asking this of me?

National Defence committee  I have no idea. I have no idea whatever. I do not know anything about defence. I do not know how we could possibly ask NATO to come in for this sort of thing. First of all, they're territorial waters. There's absolutely no question as to our sovereignty, subject only to the rig

National Defence committee  You mentioned submarines and their detection. We have the responsibility when we claim full control over these waters to have full control over these passages throughout. We must be in a position to show full and effective control, and that includes of course the stopping of fore

National Defence committee  First of all, it is important to distinguish land territory, strictly speaking, from maritime territory. A reference to the waters of the Arctic archipelago, including the waters of the Northwest Passage, is a reference to maritime territory. While the Inuit can claim that they

National Defence committee  Excuse me, but what incident are you referring to exactly?