Arctic Front: Defending Canada in the Far North

by Kenneth S. Coates, P. Whitney Lackenbauer, Bill Morrison (Contributor)

A hard-hitting, timely, and provocative book about the history and future of the Canadian Arctic. With passion and sharp words, Arctic Front confronts Canada's longstanding neglect of the Far North and outline what needs to be done to protect our national interest.

Through a lively and engaging history of the region, Arctic Front reveals how Canadians and their governments have:

- ignored this region for generations
- expanded Canadian sovereignty over the past hundred years by reacting to other countries' challenges
- become the least effective of all Circumpolar nations in responding to the needs of the Arctic
- neglected our obligations to the North, including a failure to capitalize on the human and economic resources of this vast land or to establish a presence that would make any foreign claims to offshore resources inconceivable.

As global warming continues to melt the ice in the Northwest Passage and the competition for northern resources heats up, Canada, the authors warn, will be forced to defend this area from a position of grave weakness. Our leaders need to take action today, blending defence and development, to complete Canadian nation building in this fragile region.

An energetic and engaging collaboration by four of Canada's leading Northern specialists, Arctic Front is a clarion call to all Canadians about our endangered Arctic region, challenging the country to step away from the symbols and myth making of the past and toward the urgent political, environmental and economic realities of the 21st century.

Genres: Canada, History

261 pages, Hardcover

First published October 2, 2008

About the author

See also Ken S. Coates

Coates, K. 1956-
Coates, K. S. (Kenneth Stephen), 1956-
Coates, Ken, 1956-
Coates, Ken S. (Kenneth Stephen), 1956-
Coates, Kenneth, 1956-....
Coates, Kenneth S., 1956-
Coates, Kenneth Stephen 1956-

Ken Coates (born in Alberta in 1956 and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon) is a Canadian historian focused on the history of the Canadian North and Aboriginal rights and indigenous claims. Other areas of specialization include Arctic sovereignty;[1] science, technology and society, with an emphasis on Japan; world and comparative history; and post-secondary education.

Reviews

[Elijah Reinhardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent history of Canada's sovereignty in the Far North. Great lessons to be learned for future investment in the Arctic. Despite the lack of a perceived threat an increase in investment and interest from Canadians is needed to increase capabilities.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lighter introduction to issues of Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic.

[Andrew (M) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may be biased, since my father is the first author, but I thought this was a great book. Interesting perspective on a subject that most Canadians care about, but about which we know very little.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting subject, badly written