Canada talks tough on Arctic drilling

Environment Minister Jim Prentice says he will demand the highest environmental standards be followed as Greenland explores offshore oil drilling just outside of Canada’s territorial waters.

Prentice said he’ll make Canada’s position clear at a meeting of Arctic countries next month.

Greenland recently accepted bids to drill in Baffin Bay near the mouth of Lancaster Sound, which is close to where Canada hopes to establish a marine conservation area.

The territory hopes to drill along thousands of kilometres of the maritime border it shares with Canada starting this summer.

Experts have expressed concern that it would be nearly impossible to remove spilled oil once it slipped under the vast pieces of ice.

Source: The Canadian Press