The NEW Land Border Between Canada & Denmark

Canada and Denmark signed a treaty on June 14, 2022 agreeing to a land border between the two county, ending the Whisky War.

The Whisky War started in 1984 when Canadian troops visited this disputed island erected Canadian flag, put up a “Welcome to Canada” sign, and left a bottle of Canadian Club whisky.

Soon after, Greenland’s Minister went to island, removed all the stuff Canadian troops left and put up Danish flag, left a bottle of Danish schnapps, and a sign that read ( Velkommen til den danske ø”) Welcome to the Danish Island in Danish language.

Since then, both sides been making regular trips to collect and replace each other’s goods. Both countries are quiet on how many trips what happens to the alcohol but I am assuming is someone is enjoying it.

History
It goes back to 1880, when British transferring arctic territories to Canada, they use the old 16th century map, which didn’t have the disputed Hans Island.

It is nothing but a small barren uninhabited rock sits in the middle of the Kennedy Channel that separates Canada and the autonomous territory Denmark of Greenland.

In 1933, Greenland was declared the rightful owner of Hans Island, by the Permanent Court of International Justice. This organization was dissolved within a few years and with that ownership resolution became invalid.

Both Canada and Denmark park the dispute while they focused on WWII and the Cold War, but it started simmering again in the 70s and both Denmark and Canada conducted many surveys and discovered that Hans Island is sitting directly on middle of the maritime boundary

The high point of the conflict came in 2005, when then Minister of Defence Bill Graham made a trip to the island to witness the planting of the Canadian flag, Denmark took it as Canadian occupation of Denmark’s territory and lodged an official diplomatic protest with Canada.

In, 2018, Canada and Denmark established a Joint Task Force to determine the boundary between Canada and Greenland, including the fate of Hans Island.

On June 10, 2022, Canada and Denmark signed the treaty to end the despite Denmark is getting 60% of the Hans island and the remain belongs to Canada.

It is a very sensible resolution but very anticlimactic end to the unique border dispute feel like a disappointment. If they are going to split the island why it took so long they could have done it in 1974 at the very least.

The real quesiting for me was Who really care about a tiny rock that doesn’t have any value, does it really matter if that belong to Denmark or Canada

Oh but there is a reason for the long negations, both Denmark and Canada wanted to show their strength and power, more importantly didn’t want to appear as a pushover. Why you ask, the answer is the Artic. Canada, Denmark and Russia all have claim the Artic. All three countries have submitted competing claims to a swath of Arctic Ocean and the North Pole with United Nation.

Don’t get me wrong this 1 KM long land border and the 1.3-square-kilometre rock is significant, because it chagege Canadian geography is a big way

Canada only share land border with US, last time Canada shared a bother with another country was in 1949 when Newfoundland was a British territory before becoming Canada’s 10th province. Now we have to reprint all the geography books.

It the only place in North America where it is possible to cross into European territory with a single step. Many Canadians won’t ever visit this place as it will cost many thousands to reach the spot. But who know it might become a good spot for adventure seekers specially if a tour company put a package together, I would go, if it is reasonably priced

Both Denish and Canadian are in favors of the resolution but it has to be terrified in both parliament, I don’t see any issue with it. But this agreement will mean the end of the whisky war. June 14th for the last time Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, alongside her Danish counterpart Jeppe Kofod, exchanged liqure for the last time.

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