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I am sorry but as Canadian, I don't see much point of development in Canada's North. That part of Country is simply unsustainable for human settlement and whate

I am sorry but as Canadian, I don't see much point of development in Canada's North. That part of Country is simply unsustainable for human settlement and whatever is there currently is on back off massive amount of investment in infrastructure, logistic and construction. Even basics such as milk has to be imported from other parts of Canada 1000s of kilometers away. Don't get me wrong - I applaud folks who have to live there but there simply is no point of encouraging people to stay living there or worse, to move there. Coming back to the topic - Huawei aside, say Canadian Govt./some corporation decides to spend billion dollars to lay down required infrastructure to kick off high speed internet services in that part of Canada - do you even think they have the population to support their project financially? Sooner or later, tax payers will be on hook (that is how it works in Canada) to pay for some Yukon based teenager's right to surf youtube on high speed internet.

petermcneeley 7y ago
A significant portion of Canada's wealth comes from the north and afaik settlement is required it retain claim over this territory.
- jcranmer 7y ago
  Because the High Arctic relocation was so beneficial... (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Arctic_relocation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Arctic_relocation if you're not familiar with this event in Canada's history).
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- SketchySeaBeast 7y ago
  > A significant portion of Canada's wealth comes from the north What do you mean by that? What natural resources are you referring to?
  - godelski 7y ago
    Oil
    - SketchySeaBeast 7y ago
      If you're thinking Tar Sands, that's Ft McMurray, which isn't terribly northern in comparison to the territories. I don't think that the oil in the territories hasn't really been capitalized upon because it's so remote.
Gpetrium 7y ago
I would highly encourage you to read [1] to get a better sense of the potential available in the North. The arctic is estimated to have over 22% of the world's oil and gas reserve [2]. Around 10-12% of the world's population is dependent on fisheries and aquacultures for their livelihood [3], so naturally, as fisheries become depleted in other parts of the world [4], the value of Northern fish stock (especially wild caught) is likely to rise. Minerals are already extracted all around the northern territories, an increase in temperature is likely to make some regions/zones economically viable, just take a look at Europe and China's race towards Greenland's potential rare-metal stock [5]. As a trade route, it can be considered one of the safest and fastest route to connect the East of North America and Europe to Asian markets. Just to give you a sense of how much money circulates in Trade Routes, the Suez Canal in Egypt hit a record revenue of $5.5billion in 17-18 [6]. Even if the northern region only becomes viable for half of the year, it may still be worthwhile, just look at other industries (think Tourism) that are on the same boat. Countries have gone to war for territory and resources for millennia, if Canada doesn't position itself well to protect it, someone else may come and try to take it away from you. This can happen via fisherman/oilers invading your territory, among many other ways. Always remember, if you are not willing to take the risks and investment is potentials, someone else is and when they strike gold, you may only be able to watch it. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_resources_race https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_resources_race [2] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-arctic-insight-idUSKBN15E0W0 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-arctic-insight-idU... [3] Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [4] https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/07/fish-stocks-are-used-up-fisheries-subsidies-must-stop/ https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/07/fish-stocks-are-used-... [5] https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/science/earth/arctic-resources-exposed-by-warming-set-off-competition.html https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/science/earth/arctic-reso... [6] https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-egypt-economy-suezcanal/egypts-suez-canal-reports-record-high-5-585-billion-annual-revenue-idUKKBN1JD0AF https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-egypt-economy-suezcanal/eg...
- aclsid 7y ago
  As a counterpoint, we can agree that the sea has lots of resources as well and that does not mean that we are all going to live in an oil platform because that is simply not ideal. There are well paying jobs to be had in those regions, but I do believe the parent post has a point on limiting stuff. Is it economically viable to build a underwater community? towns in the middle of the mosquito infested Amazon? etc etc
14 7y ago
I am sorry but, as a Canadian they way I understood it was that those people in our far north have sacrificed a lot of the every day freedoms and luxuries that we have in order for Canada to maintain territorial claim over the land. Our government literally scooped up people and their families and relocated them there and left them there to starve at first. If those communities were not there Canada would have lost claim to it. So we tax payers as you put it have agreed to have a higher welfare system up there for those people and to ship them milk and other supplies even though it cost ridiculous amounts of money. Because one day all that ice will free up and the amount of resources up there will be incredible.

petermcneeley 7y ago

A significant portion of Canada's wealth comes from the north and afaik settlement is required it retain claim over this territory.

jcranmer 7y ago
Because the High Arctic relocation was so beneficial... (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Arctic_relocation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Arctic_relocation if you're not familiar with this event in Canada's history).
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
SketchySeaBeast 7y ago
> A significant portion of Canada's wealth comes from the north What do you mean by that? What natural resources are you referring to?
- godelski 7y ago
  Oil
  - SketchySeaBeast 7y ago
    If you're thinking Tar Sands, that's Ft McMurray, which isn't terribly northern in comparison to the territories. I don't think that the oil in the territories hasn't really been capitalized upon because it's so remote.

Gpetrium 7y ago

I would highly encourage you to read [1] to get a better sense of the potential available in the North. The arctic is estimated to have over 22% of the world's oil and gas reserve [2]. Around 10-12% of the world's population is dependent on fisheries and aquacultures for their livelihood [3], so naturally, as fisheries become depleted in other parts of the world [4], the value of Northern fish stock (especially wild caught) is likely to rise. Minerals are already extracted all around the northern territories, an increase in temperature is likely to make some regions/zones economically viable, just take a look at Europe and China's race towards Greenland's potential rare-metal stock [5]. As a trade route, it can be considered one of the safest and fastest route to connect the East of North America and Europe to Asian markets. Just to give you a sense of how much money circulates in Trade Routes, the Suez Canal in Egypt hit a record revenue of $5.5billion in 17-18 [6]. Even if the northern region only becomes viable for half of the year, it may still be worthwhile, just look at other industries (think Tourism) that are on the same boat. Countries have gone to war for territory and resources for millennia, if Canada doesn't position itself well to protect it, someone else may come and try to take it away from you. This can happen via fisherman/oilers invading your territory, among many other ways. Always remember, if you are not willing to take the risks and investment is potentials, someone else is and when they strike gold, you may only be able to watch it. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_resources_race https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_resources_race [2] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-arctic-insight-idUSKBN15E0W0 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-arctic-insight-idU... [3] Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [4] https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/07/fish-stocks-are-used-up-fisheries-subsidies-must-stop/ https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/07/fish-stocks-are-used-... [5] https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/science/earth/arctic-resources-exposed-by-warming-set-off-competition.html https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/science/earth/arctic-reso... [6] https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-egypt-economy-suezcanal/egypts-suez-canal-reports-record-high-5-585-billion-annual-revenue-idUKKBN1JD0AF https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-egypt-economy-suezcanal/eg...

aclsid 7y ago
As a counterpoint, we can agree that the sea has lots of resources as well and that does not mean that we are all going to live in an oil platform because that is simply not ideal. There are well paying jobs to be had in those regions, but I do believe the parent post has a point on limiting stuff. Is it economically viable to build a underwater community? towns in the middle of the mosquito infested Amazon? etc etc

14 7y ago

I am sorry but, as a Canadian they way I understood it was that those people in our far north have sacrificed a lot of the every day freedoms and luxuries that we have in order for Canada to maintain territorial claim over the land. Our government literally scooped up people and their families and relocated them there and left them there to starve at first. If those communities were not there Canada would have lost claim to it. So we tax payers as you put it have agreed to have a higher welfare system up there for those people and to ship them milk and other supplies even though it cost ridiculous amounts of money. Because one day all that ice will free up and the amount of resources up there will be incredible.