CASE NOTES : BIRT the Northwest Passage be made international waters

Debate case notes go up! This was graciously compiled by my one time partner R.L. (initials used for sake of anonymity) and hopefully if you ever encounter a round like this (ex: the Northwest Passage is instead the Suez Canal or etc.) these might help! 

BIRT the Northwest Passage be made international waters: Gov.

Model:

·        Giving the passage to the UN

·        Let UN set regulations for the waters

·        For any country who is interested/made a claim to it 

Reduction of Tension

·        Less hostility between countries, a good compromise

o   Not fighting over passage

o   Able to use it all equally

·        Compromise

o   All countries can benefit

o   Cooperation

·        No abuse of power

o   Might does not equal right

o   No country will be able to regulate it to make it their own ways, and how they want it

o   E.g.: extremely high shipping costs and taxes

o   No monopoly

o   Don’t want to give one country leverage economically, or in pride

·        Example: Suez Canal

o   Egyptian Leader Gamal Abdel Nasser seized control of it, summer 1956

o   Critical shipping route

o   Charged passage fees after British, Israeli, and French funding was cut from the dam for The Nile

o   Then blocked canal

o   Un Peacekeeping and Lester B. Pearson helped save the countries on the brink of war

·        No risk of one country attempting to claim it

·        Global Village

o   Want world to cooperate

o   One step to a unified world

·        No guarantee of one country prospering and doing well

·        Countries could always end up in war, when military action is pulled out

Economic Benefits

·        Reduced cost of shipping (no tariffs)

·        Less resources if we try to alternate routes

·        Prosperous global village

·        Encourage consumerism

·        Fast shipping

Boundaries

·        Canada does not have boundaries

·        No military power

·        Oceanic boundaries are difficult to set

·        Allows international support for land

·        Identify legitimacy of the country

·        Easy for any other country to claim

·        Large, powerful countries could fight for it

o   E.g.: Russia, China, U.S.A

Environmental Benefits

·        Taking roundabout routes harm the environment

·        Global issue, the world has damaged the passage

·        “Global Warming”

·        Better future protection, all countries can contribute to improving damage

·        Canada does not have enough resources to clean up all emissions

·        UN has resources, research

OPP

Collective Action

·        Environmental problems

·        E.g. oil spills

·        Not everyone will want to help

·        Not as emotionally invested because they aren’t as affected geographically (environment)

·        UN usually has conflicts in cleaning in up, take longer

·        Canada will be faster because they are closest to it, will affect its citizens the most

·        Other countries only want right of passage, not ownership of land

·        Use tax money to invest in cleaning it (Canada)

·        Otherwise Canada must invest in paying for relocation of indigenous peoples

·        Canada is geographically closer

Sovereignty

·        Canadian government has obligation to protect the land

o   If cannot protect land, they cannot protect people

·        Government will seem weak, and other countries will step over Canada

·        What will this lead to?

o   Countries will soon demand other of Canada’s resources

·        Part of Canada’s culture/history

·        Emotionally invested and Financially invested

·        Geographic right to this land, such as Hudson’s Bay

o   E.g.: we can’t just invade Saudi Arabia’s oil

·        Work to protect self

·        Can build military

·        Protects Canadian businesses 

Political Leverage

·        Tax other countries

o   make money

o   good Canadian economy

·        other countries will respect Canada more (ex: Iran’s leverage due to Strait of Hormuz)

·        Canada has good intentions, therefore will likely not abuse power (unlike Strait of Hormuz)

·        Allies will work more with Canada (more influence)

·        Can then build military, economy, help global world prosper through better ability/money to extract resources

Possible Refutation

• Political Tension, could invade Canada

o   Have 10-20 years until Passage melts

o   Can build up military & defenses

• Boundaries

o   Need a strong stance

o   Work to protect it

o   Geographic right & sovereignty

• Economic Factors

o   Canada has resources

§  Can use resources to become stronger country economically

§  Help global economy