(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Most adults in Canada believe their federal government should pay attention to the Arctic, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 74 per cent of respondents believe Canada should invest heavily on securing sovereignty over its Arctic territory.

In addition, 41 per cent of respondents express confidence in the government of Stephen Harper to secure Canada’s Arctic sovereignty, down three points in a year.

Canadians renewed the House of Commons in January 2006. The Conservative party—led by Harper—received 36.3 per cent of the vote, and secured 124 seats in the 308-member lower house. Harper leads a minority administration after more than 12 years of government by the Liberal party.

According to international regulations, the Arctic region surrounding the North Pole is not regarded as part of any single country’s territory and is therefore administered by the International Seabed Authority. However, Canada, Russia, the United States, Norway and Denmark have economic rights over parts of the Arctic around their coasts. All of these countries claim that parts of the Arctic—an oil rich region—belong to their territories.

Last year, a team of explorers planted a Russian flag on the Arctic seabed in what was deemed as a symbolic claim to natural resources. 54 per cent of Canadian respondents believe Russia represents a bigger threat than the United States in matters related to Arctic sovereignty, and 56 per cent want Canada to plant a flag on the Arctic seabed.

On Aug. 19, Canadian defence minister Peter MacKay launched a military mission in the Arctic, declaring, "These operations serve two purposes: to exercise Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic through a strong Canadian Forces and intergovernmental presence, and to strengthen the collaboration between Canadian Forces and those other governmental departments and agencies as they serve communities."

Polling Data

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
(Strongly Agree / Moderately Agree responses only)

Source: Angus Reid Strategies
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,014 Canadian adults, conducted from Aug. 15 to Aug. 17, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.

Other poll highlights:

49% say Russia will be a military threat for Western nations in near future; 37% see it as a possible threat to Canada
40% of Canadians want to participate in U.S. missile defence shield system criticized by Russia; 43% disagree

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