Sector claims and counter-claims: Joseph Elzéar Bernier, the Canadian government, and Arctic sovereignty, 1898–1934

Abstract

Many writers have presented Joseph Elzéar Bernier (1852–1934) as a hero whose key role in establishing Canada's sovereignty over the Arctic islands was unjustly downplayed by the government he served. According to this view, the sector claim that Bernier made on 1 July 1909 is the true foundation of Canada's title to the archipelago. This article draws on government files to assess civil servants’ attitude to his sovereignty-related activities. It also describes the role played by James White, whose more sophisticated and effective sector concept predated Bernier's and served as the basis for the official sector claim made in June 1925. The evidence indicates that government officials in the 1920s were well justified in their doubts about Bernier's pretensions. However, even though they rejected his version of the sector theory and resented the campaign of self-glorification on which he embarked after his retirement, their personal relations with him were good, and they took considerable trouble to ensure what they considered to be an appropriate degree of recognition for him. The article therefore clarifies the differences between Bernier's rhetoric and reality, particularly with regard to the sector principle.

Canada's Arctic sector claim in historical perspective: a response to Alan MacEachern

“…‘Any island complying with the conditions laid down in the Order-in-Council is now, and has been since 1880, incorporated within the Dominion’, Fitzpatrick wrote to the prime minister (Fitzpatrick 1905: 202). It was, however, realised by these men that to maintain and perfect its title, Canada must take active steps toward actual occupation (Cavell 2011: 303; Cavell 2014: 294–295). In response to Fitzpatrick's letter, Laurier wrote that the ‘best course’ was to have ‘our jurisdiction quietly extended to every island’ (Laurier 1905).…”

“…Skelton, Lester Pearson, and their colleagues, the sector lines were merely a geographical framework for effective occupation rather than a supposed basis for sovereignty in themselves. This belief was reflected in the official sector claim made by the minister of the interior, Charles Stewart, in June 1925 (Cavell and Noakes 2010: 227–228, 235; Cavell 2014: 305–306). In this scheme of things, the proclamations made by Bernier before any occupation had been established were of little if any significance.…”

“…Instead, he thinks that Bernier wanted a cash payment similar to the $67,000 received by Otto Sverdrup (MacEachern 2016: 2). But when Bernier wanted money, he was never shy about saying so, as his numerous demands for a higher pension indicate (see Cavell 2014: 306). Moreover, the payment to Sverdrup was a compensation for the cost of his privately funded expedition in 1898–1902: the Canadian government was, in effect, retroactively becoming the sponsor of Sverdrup's work.…”

“…Since it was in Norwegian, he could not be sure what it said, but he might well have feared it was a sovereignty proclamation and felt compelled to take action on short notice. The lack of ceremony can be accounted for by the bad weather and risky ice conditions that prevailed at the time (Cavell 2014: 297).…”

“…Such an episode would have severely damaged Bernier's credibility with both the government and the public. (On the probable fate of Bernier's record, see Cavell 2014: 303. )…”