Identity of Canada in the Arctic region based on the Northwest Passage

Abstract

The Northwest Passage (NWP) is a sea route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. In fact, the NWP is a series of short routes passing through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Since all routes pass through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the Canadian Government insists that these are the «internal waters» of the state. There are many controversies in this regard. The dispute between the United States and Canada over the legal status of the Northwest Passage has been the subject of political and popular debate for fifty years. According to Canada, the Northwest Passage is Canadian, and this issue is not even subject to discussion, so there are no disputes from Canada’s point of view. The article considers the problems of formation and prospects for the development of relations between states in the zone of the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic. The relevance and demand of the transport route in the north of the Western Hemisphere, which is a direct competitor to the Northern Sea Route in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, are noted. The problems of the indigenous peoples of the Canadian Arctic are touched upon, as well as possible ways to solve them through the prism of the national identity of the Canadian state.