Observers are divided on whether a Canadian claim on the possibly resource-rich pole would be successful, and even whether the bid is worthwhile in the first place.
The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent taking part in a survey of the Arctic continental shelf. Photograph courtesy of Patrick Kelley, U.S. Coast
Canada is on its way to claim Santa’s workshop in the North Pole, along with Russia and Denmark, when it files its Arctic submission, anticipated to be in 2018.
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What is and isn’t considered a subsidy is politically charged. The government and industry are both likely to dispute or take issue with the inclusion of some, or many, of the programs to the group's tally.
While gaining a change in immigration status can be ‘transformational,’ the new policy does not go far enough as it excludes those not proficient in English or French, says one expert.
There are a 'whole series of very complicated questions that nobody is talking about,' says border expert Edward Alden on the lack of planning for an eventual border reopening.
New prescribed policies, procedures forced people to think about how they were acting, creating a 'profound' change in terms of staff understanding how they need to relate in the workplace, says the PMO's Marci Surkes.
'I think [the Canadian government] needs to demonstrate a stronger case that there is a real security problem and it has never been able to do so,' says former diplomat Daniel Livermore.
Ontario ISG Senator Rosemary Moodie says the new group shows the ‘significant investment’ the Senate is putting into pursuing ‘meaningful improvement.’
'It’s like you walk around and you have a target on your back … there is something a bit, not sadistic, but satisfying in getting rid of the last MP standing,' says McGill Prof. Daniel Béland.