Yellowknife (June 23/03) - The North is fighting a battle to keep the Northwest Passage in the hands of Canada.

It's not a very public fight, but behind the scenes the U.S. and other countries are making claims to routes through the Arctic Ocean that Canada regards as its own.

"Canada claims it is part of their territory but the U.S. says it is an international waterway," said Paul Cellucci on a recent visit to Yellowknife.

Canada's legal position has not been challenged but there are many countries that have reserved the right to challenge Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic.

"It's important for Canada to establish the fact that these waters are internal waters," said Pierre LeBlanc, the commanding officer of the Canadian Forces Northern Area (CFNA) from 1995 to 2000.

LeBlanc said Canada needs to have a stronger presence in the Arctic.

"Canada will have to put its foot down on this issue and establish our sovereignty on this.To have sovereignty you need to prove in court that you are in control up there," he said.

The current Northern Area commanding officer agreed.

"Of course it would be nice to have a robust presence and we do our best but at this moment there is no pressing need," said Col. Norris Pettis.

Pettis says that Canada's presence extends beyond military patrols.

"The Coast Guard is sailing there, we have people administrating the land, Parks Canada is up there and there are communities." he said.

"We in the military are attempting to augment the presence with land exercises but it would be nice if our Navy had the capabilities to be there."

According to an expert on the Arctic passage, Ottawa isn't doing more because of cost and distance.

"The Canadian North doesn't count for much in the political system," said Rob Huebert, a professor at the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary.

"Problems the North is facing are so far away from the major centres - Ontario and Quebec - that it is hard to convince Canadians that the resources should be spent up here."

Canada and the U.S. reached an agreement in 1988 on arctic cooperation and use of the Northwest Passage.

The agreement provides practical mechanism for travel in the waterway.

Ships travelling into the Northwest Passage are asked, on a voluntary basis, to notify the Canadian government. The U.S. has complied, but other nations haven't.

LeBlanc said that "Canada must require or insist that ships tell them when they are entering the arctic," just as they must alert authorities 36 hours in advance when they approach the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

Huebert and LeBlanc said Canada needs to improve on surveillance through radar and dedicated satellites to monitor shipping traffic in Arctic.

"If Canada is going to assert the passage is internal water, we have to monitor what they (ships) are doing, and have to respond to those who aren't following your regulations.

"Sovereignty unenforced is not sovereignty," said Huebert.