The HMS Erebus and Terror Expedition Hunt

[Shakeyhands]

I read this article this morning in the paper, while certainly interesting, is it really a good use of our tax dollars?

OTTAWA–The federal government is poised to announce an expedition to find one of the most sought-after prizes in marine archeology – the lost ships of the doomed Franklin expedition.

Environment Minister John Baird has planned a news conference tomorrow to announce "the launch of the HMS Erebus and Terror expedition."

One has to wonder why 1) We would really care to blow what has become a great mystery and 2) why Baird himself it touting it... Distractions perhaps by trying to grab the imagination of the electorate? Who knows?

http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/478150

[White Doors]

Cool. It could also be related to sovereignty issues.

[jdobbin]

I read this article this morning in the paper, while certainly interesting, is it really a good use of our tax dollars?

I suppose it is no better or worse than giving the Calgary Stampede $500,000 to celebrate the birthday of Quebec City.

[Fortunata]

Spending money on this must be better than spending it on Bev Oda's limo rides and flying off across country to make the announcement that there will be an announcement. At least we might have something concrete for our money.

[White Doors]

I suppose it is no better or worse than giving the Calgary Stampede $500,000 to celebrate the birthday of Quebec City.

That's just being progressive jdobbin. There are alot of expat Quebecers in Calgary now. They should be able to celebrate too, no?

[jdobbin]

That's just being progressive jdobbin. There are alot of expat Quebecers in Calgary now. They should be able to celebrate too, no?

Waste of money.

It is funny how the right used to howl about this type of spending. They were right to do so.

[White Doors]

Waste of money.

It is funny how the right used to howl about this type of spending. They were right to do so.

really? So what was your opinion on cutting the arts funding and the literacy funding?

What was/is your opinion on that?

I think you are, as usual, being more partisan than consistant.

or you could prove me wrong.

[jdobbin]

really? So what was your opinion on cutting the arts funding and the literacy funding?

What was/is your opinion on that?

I think the programs should be cut back. We need spending cuts across the board. There is no way we should be spending at the rate we are now.

[CANADIEN]

I do not believe that the Government should be the sole founding source for such undertaking; TV networks, private foundations, private business should be inbited and encouraged to pitch in.

But should it happen, and should our Government be involved? Most definitely yes.

This gives us the opportunity to get and make public more knoweldge on an epic yet tragic chapter of our history. Information gathered may also help us understand even more our Nordic environment and how climate change affects it. Finally, it would help bolster both our presence in the Arctic and our territorial claims.

[AngusThermopyle]

This gives us the opportunity to get and make public more knoweldge on an epic yet tragic chapter of our history. Information gathered may also help us understand even more our Nordic environment and how climate change affects it. Finally, it would help bolster both our presence in the Arctic and our territorial claims.

Agreed and agreed again. The pursuit of knowledge is never fruitless, the greater the understanding of our past the better our chances of not repeating past mistakes. Not only that but knowledge such as this can only serve to enrich us all.

[FTA Lawyer]

Looking for ships lost in your territorial waters is something countries tend to do. It seems very obvious to me that the CDN government jumping into this search at this point in time is an obvious attempt to support a bid for sovereignty in the Arctic.

I am uncertain whether the people deciding such issues will be impressed by the effort. It seems to me that will be the true measure of whether this is money well-spent.

FTA

[eyeball]

Notwithstanding the obvious connection between Canada and Britain, its a little ironic that this is being held up as a bid for Canadian sovereignty. Franklin was after all on a mission for another country's government that was seeking a Northwest Passage through another people's territory without so much as a by-your-leave from anyone but themselves - the very thing we're supposed to be most concerned about.

[FTA Lawyer]

Notwithstanding the obvious connection between Canada and Britain, its a little ironic that this is being held up as a bid for Canadian sovereignty. Franklin was after all on a mission for another country's government that was seeking a Northwest Passage through another people's territory without so much as a by-your-leave from anyone but themselves - the very thing we're supposed to be most concerned about.

When you consider that an Act of the British Parliament was required to establish Canadian sovereignty, I don't see the irony actually.

In any event, it is the location of the loss of the ships that makes Canada looking to salvage them related to a bid for control of those waterways.

FTA

[Wild Bill]

I'm all for anything to support things pertaining to our Canadian history. The way it seems to have been de-emphasized and revised these last few decades, particularly in our schools, seems almost Orwellian!

[marcus72ch]

Well in my opinion it's one of the best investments for the future as well for the past.

Finding those 2 ship wrecks would bring light into a 160 year old mystery and maybe it will finally come out what had happend to these unfortunate officers and men.

I've been studying this story now since years and think that I've read all the books available about the Franklin Expedition itsself as well as about those many search expeditions launched in the following decade and later.

For me it would be the biggest prize in marine archeology and surely worth some thousands bucks, much more than 1000 of other things where much more money has been spend for.

From Switzerland

Marcus

[marcus72ch]

Well in my opinion it's one of the best investments for the future as well for the past.

Finding those 2 ship wrecks would bring light into a 160 year old mystery and maybe it will finally come out what had happend to these unfortunate officers and men.

I've been studying this story now since years and think that I've read all the books available about the Franklin Expedition itsself as well as about those many search expeditions launched in the following decade and later.

For me it would be the biggest prize in marine archeology and surely worth some thousands bucks, much more than 1000 of other things where much more money has been spend for.

From Switzerland

Marcus

[kengs333]

Notwithstanding the obvious connection between Canada and Britain, its a little ironic that this is being held up as a bid for Canadian sovereignty. Franklin was after all on a mission for another country's government that was seeking a Northwest Passage through another people's territory without so much as a by-your-leave from anyone but themselves - the very thing we're supposed to be most concerned about.

i) Britain wasn't "another country" at the time...

ii) "people's" in what respect? Inuit? Or "Canadians"?

Edited September 25, 2008 by kengs333