Closing the front door of the Arctic: Capt. Joseph E. Bernier's role in Canadian Arctic sovereignty

Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic Archipelago was not gained by conquering swashbucklers. It was established with understated measures by government officers, patrolling northern waters and implementing legislation to secure the Archipelago for Canada.; One of the key figures in this quiet nation building was the veteran French-Canadian sea captain Joseph-Elzear Bernier. Early in the 20th century, the Dominion government commissioned Bernier to patrol the icy Arctic straits. He made four trips between 1904 and 1911 to the Arctic Archipelago, claiming each of the islands for Canada.; In 1922, at the age of 70, Bernier was again commissioned to take the helm of the Canadian Government Ship Arctic for the Eastern Arctic Patrol, which set up mounted police posts in the High Eastern Arctic.; This journalistic style thesis examines how the Canadian government established jurisdiction in the Arctic and Bernier's role in this. His flag-raising efforts are the cornerstones of Canadian Arctic sovereignty.