A fascinating account of Canada’s Arctic claim, one man’s secret and misbegotten expedition to expand it, and the official response and policy that followed.

As climate change threatens to open the Northwest Passage to ice-free travel, Canadian sovereignty over the Arctic has come to the fore. Although Canada’s claim to the Arctic archipelago is now firmly entrenched in the minds of Canadians, less than a century ago, that claim was much less secure.

Acts of Occupation draws on a wealth of previously untapped archival sources to piece together the engrossing story of how one explorer’s self-serving ambition ultimately led Canada to craft and defend a decisive Arctic policy. Historians Cavell and Noakes show how unfounded paranoia about Danish designs on the north, fueled by a deliberate campaign of deceit and fear-mongering, was the catalyst for Canada’s active administrative occupation of the Arctic.

A compelling tale, Acts of Occupation throws new light on a transformative period in the history of Canadian Arctic policy and provides much-needed historical context for contemporary debates on northern sovereignty.

"This well-written and readable work deserves a place on the bookshelves of historians, students, and popular readers interested in the Canadian Arctic ... the recent flurry of books on the Canadian North has included several broad and sweeping studies of Canad's Arctic policy ... however, more detailed works that fully explore the contours of Canada's Arctic policy are required. Other historians should follow the lead of Cavell and Noakes to describe the progression of Canada's policy since the country received its Arctic Archipelago in 1880 because many historical policy issues are still germane to debates about the Arctic today." - Polar Record, Vol. 64, No. 4

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This well-written and readable work deserves a place on the bookshelves of historians, students, and popular readers interested in the Canadian Arctic. High-quality photographs and maps add to the story of adventure, exploration, and intrigue that the authors set out to tell. Moreover, this history is both timely and important.