Canada and United States dispute over tiny island

[Hum]

FREDERICTON - A tiny island between New Brunswick and Maine is the subject of renewed calls from both sides of the border to settle a territorial dispute once and for all.

Machias Seal Island is a flat, treeless piece of rock located about 19 kilometres south of Grand Manan Island and 16 kilometres west of the Maine coast at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy.

The island is a sanctuary for many kinds of seabirds including the Atlantic Puffin and draws visitors from around the world to observe them in the summer.

There are no permanent human residents on the island, just pairs of lightkeepers who spend 28 days at a time maintaining a lighthouse operated by the Canadian Coast Guard. The original lighthouse was built by the British in 1832, and a lighthouse has been maintained there ever since.

So why would anyone even care which country gets title to Machias Seal Island?

The answer lies in the 720 square kilometres of water around the island in what's called a grey zone. Lobster fishermen from both Canada and the U.S. fish these waters.

"The fishing community on Grand Manan is permitted to fish there on an open-end basis and it's our way of laying our claim to this water that is part of the Machias Seal Island dispute," said MP John Williamson, who represents the riding of New Brunswick-Southwest.

Williamson said the island is considered to be in his riding.

"I think our claim is sound and is legitimate, but at the end of the day it's going to come down to the minister in this country and the administration in Washington to settle it," he said.

"I think it is in the interests of both of our countries to do that."

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[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

They don't want the land, they want the Lobsters.

[tiagosilva29]

It is perhaps time for Canada to invade.

[jordanspringer]

I live in Fredericton! Yeah, they both want the lobsters.

[Hum]

Bomb Canada NOW ! :woot:

[Colin McGregor]

Bomb Canada NOW ! :woot:

It will never happen. Way more countries love Canada more then the US. The US would be a parking lot before they even fired off the first missile.

[Hum]

^ Wal-Mart has already made us a parking lot. :laugh:

I like Canada too.

[Lucas]

Maybe we should bomb Canada AND the US. :D

[Anibal P]

It will never happen. Way more countries love Canada more then the US. The US would be a parking lot before they even fired off the first missile.

HA HA HA Most people don't even know Canada is a Country, they just think it's part of the US

On a more serious note, no Country has the destructive power we have, and there's no Country out there that could pull off a strike without us knowing it

[*RedBull*]

It is perhaps time for Canada to invade.

Canada yes please invade the US. Two ways this can go: one send your military forces to concor. Two send your young pretty females for US men to enjoy and then send your military. I prefer the latter if it means anything. It would be more effective. ;)

[Growled Member]

Why would anyone want to fight over that? It's nothing.

[FlintyV]

Why would anyone want to fight over that? It's nothing.

"The answer lies in the 720 square kilometres of water around the island in what's called a grey zone. Lobster fishermen from both Canada and the U.S. fish these waters."

[webeagle12]

It is perhaps time for Canada to invade.

I hope not. We already have enough of Justin Bieber.

[Hum]

Why don't we just go on sharing the waters ... ? Or would that make too much sense ...

[FlintyV]

Why don't we just go on sharing the waters ... ? Or would that make too much sense ...

Well you could get some countries over fishing the areas and pretty much killing off the fish for other ships.

[Rippleman]

The last 2 times US has tried to invade Canada didn't go so well with 1 time resulting in the White House being burned down. :)

HA HA HA Most people don't even know Canada is a Country, they just think it's part of the US

A lot of the world does think we US and Canada are just 1 country called America. Even when I repeat to my fiances relatives back in the Philippines that we live in Canada, they still always say that she lives in America lol (which is technically true since it is the land mass of America)

no Country has the destructive power we have

Did you know Russia has more nukes? and when it comes down to it, would it be something to be actually saying out loud? I would keep that embarrassingly quiet.

[Snake89]

It is perhaps time for Canada to invade.

Look what happened last time the US tried to invade Canada, we end of burning the white house. Which i'm sure alot of people were happy about.

[Growled Member]

"The answer lies in the 720 square kilometres of water around the island in what's called a grey zone. Lobster fishermen from both Canada and the U.S. fish these waters."

Why that affect either government?

[Snake89]

A lot of the world does think we US and Canada are just 1 country called America. Even when I repeat to my fiances relatives back in the Philippines that we live in Canada, they still always say that she lives in America lol

Well we do kinda live in America, since the word "America" is a term for "The New World".

[Hum]

Why does that affect either government?

'Ownership' of the land could give fishing rights of the surrounding waters.

We should just create those fish/seafood underwater farms now, that will exist in the future.

[Nothing Here]

Isn't that the reason a war between US and Canada started in some movie? A tiny island with nothing?

[soniqstylz]

Red Lobster could invade Canada.

[Growled Member]

'Ownership' of the land could give fishing rights of the surrounding waters.

We should just create those fish/seafood underwater farms now, that will exist in the future.

Just declare it free and open waters for everyone. Problem solved.

[Biotoxic_hazard_835]

HA HA HA Most people don't even know Canada is a Country, they just think it's part of the US

On a more serious note, no Country has the destructive power we have, and there's no Country out there that could pull off a strike without us knowing it

Are you sure of that ? Does the September 11 tragedy ring a bell for you ? They even used our own planes against us. With budget cuts, lax security who says they can't pull another attack ?

[AnotherITguy]

Share the island, and plop a research lab or something there.