The Hon. W. Graham, MP, P.C., D.U., Q.C.
Minister of National Defence
101 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K2
Thursday, December 22nd, 2005
Dear Minister Graham,
On Monday Canadians learned of reports that that the American nuclear submarine USS Charlotte traveled through Canadian Arctic waters last month. The media reported the government refused to say whether it gave permission for this voyage.
Currently five nations possess nuclear submarines: the US, China, Russia, Great Britain and France. There are many indications that all of them have traversed throughout our Arctic waters. It is almost certain that many of them did not seek our permission. We have territorial disputes with the United States in three areas, at the bottom of the Alaska panhandle, in the Beaufort Sea, and with respect to the Northwest Passage. We also have territorial disputes with Russia on the Continental shelf and with Denmark over Hans Island. Our sovereignty is being challenged and will continue to be challenged as other nations covet our vast resources.
In a press conference on Monday, I called on your government to answer several questions concerning this potential violation of our sovereignty. I have yet to receive a response from you or any government official. So today I am writing to put these questions directly to you:
- Was the Government of Canada aware of this particular voyage into Canadian territorial waters?
- If your government was aware of this voyage, did it grant permission for it to occur?
- If your government did not grant such permission, what specific actions have you or your government taken to protest this apparent violation of Canadian sovereignty?
- Is the government aware of other unauthorized foreign naval voyages that may have occurred in Canadian territorial waters without the permission or knowledge of the Canadian government?
- What concrete measures are in your government’s plan to prevent such unauthorized incursions into Canadian territorial waters in the future?
Sovereignty must be enforced to be credible with respect to international law. It is not good enough to say we are sovereign, we must demonstrate our sovereignty. I and all Canadians would like to know the specifics of your plan to defend our northern sovereignty.
I look forward to your response.
Gordon O’Connor, M.P.
Official Opposition Critic for National Defence
