The federal government is pledging to work with its American counterparts after the U.S. claimed parts of the Arctic sea floor that Canada also wants.

Grantly Franklin, spokesman for Global Affairs Canada, said in an email that Canada expects to follow the process set out in a United Nations treaty despite the fact the U.S. hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 ratified the Convention on the Law of the Sea.

SA国际影视传媒淐anada and the U.S. are in frequent communication with regards to the continental shelf in the Arctic and have expressed their commitment along with other Arctic states to the orderly settlement of overlapping claims,SA国际影视传媒� Franklin wrote.

The U.S. filed its extended continental shelf claim last month with the United Nations agency that evaluates such requests. As expected, it includes a large chunk of the Beaufort Sea floor that Canada also seeks to control.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 stuff that weSA国际影视传媒檝e always suspected they were going to do,SA国际影视传媒� said Rob Huebert, a professor at the University of CalgarySA国际影视传媒檚 Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies. SA国际影视传媒淭he Americans have been very careful not to have any overlap with the Russians but they have overlap with us.SA国际影视传媒�

A large part of the overlap concerns how the border should be drawn. Canada wants it extended directly north from the 141st meridian while the U.S. says it should be drawn at a 90-degree angle from the shoreline.

Under the UN treaty, countries have the right to manage the environment and develop natural resources on the ocean floor if they can prove their continental shelf extends more than 200 nautical miles, or about 370 kilometres, from their coast and is a natural extension of the continent. Rights to an extended continental shelf donSA国际影视传媒檛 include control over matters such as fisheries or shipping.

The UN doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 rule on boundaries, but evaluates the science behind each countrySA国际影视传媒檚 claim and leaves it to them to negotiate a settlement.

Although the U.S. has not signed the Convention on the Law of the Sea, it has pledged to work within it.

SA国际影视传媒淭he U.S. views the (convention) definition of the continental shelf as customary international law and has adhered to the definition in delineating its continental shelf limits,SA国际影视传媒� Franklin wrote.

The American decision to follow the convention is good news for the rule of international law, Huebert said.

He said CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 willingness to work with a country outside the convention may weaken the treaty. But given the small chance the U.S. will sign on any time soon, Huebert called the move SA国际影视传媒減olitically smart.SA国际影视传媒�

Huebert notes that Canada, which filed its claim in 2019, now has overlapping claims with Russia and Denmark as well as the U.S.

SA国际影视传媒淓very single one of our Arctic neighbours has an overlap with us,SA国际影视传媒� said Huebert.

He said growing geopolitical tension around the world isnSA国际影视传媒檛 going to make drawing those lines on the waves any easier.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou have to resolve things peacefully if youSA国际影视传媒檙e part of the convention,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淏ut you have to overlay that with the geopolitical situation we have now. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e in such a conflictual environment SA国际影视传媒� with Russia, primarily, and now our two key allies. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 one ugly chicken soup.SA国际影视传媒�

CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 submission would bring 1.2 million square kilometres of sea floor under Canadian control, a territory about the size of Alberta and Saskatchewan combined.

The Amerasian Basin, which includes the disputed area of the Beaufort Sea, is thought to include significant oil reserves. The United States Geological Survey estimates it could hold up to 10 billion barrels of oil equivalent SA国际影视传媒� although that number is considered a SA国际影视传媒減robabilisticSA国际影视传媒� assessment based on Arctic geology rather than a hard figure.

The UN body that assesses the quality of the science in each countrySA国际影视传媒檚 expanded continental shelf claim is expected to take years to arrive at its decisions.

SA国际影视传媒擝y Bob Weber, The Canadian Press