New kid on the block

Canada’s newly elected conservative government has confirmed its tough credentials by sticking it to the girlie USA over Canada’s plans to deploy military ice breakers in the Arctic.

The US has questioned Canada’s claims to sovereignty over Arctic waters, but Canadian Prime Minister-elect Stephen Harper has hit back, saying, “I want to be clear our party is clear, it’s the intention of this government to defend our sovereignty. We have plans for a national defence. We have a mandate from the Canadian people and it’s our intention to pursue this mandate.”

Oh dear, looks like military tensions brewing between these historically uneasy continent-mates, with the former sissy on the block now donning Stetson, gun-belt and spurs.

So what’s it all about? I guess we’ll have to wait and see, but it may relate to the Bush administration’s long-held plans to open up the Arctic off Alaska to oil exploration. Perhaps we will see yet more push and shove between these competitors for the resources of the Arctic.