Anywhere else, the incredible and totally unexpected news would have been greeted with almost universal interest and excitement.
But that’s not what happened when Prime Minister Stephen Harper proudly announced on Tuesday that one of the two long lost ships of the Franklin expedition to the Arctic had at last been found, climaxing a search that had been going on for 169 years since John Franklin and his 129 crew members perished in this country’s vast Arctic in their unsuccessful attempt to find the fabled Northwest Passage.
The unexpected find of one of Franklin’s two ships (the Erebus and Terror) was quickly picked up by news agencies throughout much of the world. The Queen promptly sent a congratulatory message to Canada on such an “historic achievement” after so many unsuccessful past attempts.
While the British were understandably impressed by such an important discovery, their positive reaction clearly was not fully shared by everyone in Canada. Some predictably pointed out that the cost of mounting such a search mission over the years by the Harper government could have been better spent dealing with more important current problems confronted by Canadian society.
Even journalists, including younger ones, have chimed in, saying Harper had given more attention to discovering the lost ships from the Franklin expedition than it did to find ways to deal with more pressing current problems within society. Those include the plight of Canada’s native population and concerns over the inordinate number of native women murdered in this country, which the provinces want the Harper government to give more priority to.
Although some might regard such criticism as not altogether without value, the muted response of many Canadians to the discovery of the remains of one of Franklin’s lost ships is a sad reminder of the lack of interest concerning Canada’s history. Add to that the reluctance, especially in the education system, to inculcating a knowledge of our history in its evolution into a modern society.
One female pundit on television went so far as to dismiss the whole project in the Arctic as a waste of money, especially when the subject only involved a group of male sailors without even a female dimension.
She commented that the Harper government was always able to find funding for events in Canada’s history when it complemented its own view of what was important in Canada’s evolution.
Interestingly, one aspect regarding the discovery of one of Franklin’s doomed ships that does have some relevance for present-day Canadians is the fact that the Arctic itself is fast becoming a subject of growing interest not just for Canada but also for other countries. Russia, Norway, Iceland, Denmark and the United States are all increasingly concerned that their own claims over territorial waters in the Arctic are upheld.
Some of those claims might be challenged, particularly by Russia, which has been particularly active in recent years in trying to establish its own claim over a large Arctic area.
In any event, the discovery clearly is a development that will undoubtedly be well received by those who see the Arctic as a global region of increasing importance, not just because of its natural resources, but because it could offer a maritime route for international shipping in the future.
That would shorten maritime travel time between North America and Asia if global climate change continues to significantly lessen the traditional buildup of ice in that vast region of the world.
Even if the extent of significant climate change in the Arctic remains uncertain over the short term, this week’s historic discovery will clearly focus greater interest in the vast Arctic region and the role it has played in Canada’s own past history and the significant role it might play in the foreseeable future with unpredictable global consequences.
In that sense, this week’s events could play a timely role in emphasizing the growing importance of the Arctic, not just for this country’s own future, but for the global community.
Harry Sterling, a former diplomat, is an Ottawa-based commentator.
