Canada's Arctic Waters in International Law »

The crossing of the Northwest Passage in August 1985 by a US icebreaker, without requesting authorization, raised the whole question of Canada's sovereignty over the waters of its Arctic Archipelago.

Part I. The Waters of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and the Sector Theory;

1. The origins of the sector theory;
2. Boundary treaties as a legal basis for the sector theory;
3. Contiguity as a basis for the sector theory;
4. Customary law as a basis for the sector theory;

Part II. The Waters of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago as Historic Waters:
5. The basic characteristics of historic waters;
6. Requirements of historic waters;
7. State practice of Arctic states on historic waters;
8. Historic waters applied to the Canadian Arctic Archipelago;

Part III. The Waters of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Straight Baselines:
9. The law on straight baselines for coastal Archipelagos;
10. State practice on the use of straight baselines;
11. Straight baselines applied to the Canadian Arctic Archipelago;

Part IV. The Waters of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and the Northwest Passage:
12. Description of the Northwest Passage;
13. Use of the Northwest Passage;
14. Legal status of the Northwest Passage.