Following France’s decision to ahead with a formal claim to the continental shelf off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, the Canadian government has renewed its opposition to any new territorial claims for the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (SPM).
We at Miquelon.org expect a spike in Anti-French and Anti-SPM sentiment in the Canadian media and press in the next few days. French citizens in Canada are advised against engaging in conversations on this topic and should refer any queries to websites that deal with the history and news of the islands.
- News from and about Saint-Pierre & Miquelon (English): radiobarachois.net
- Continental Shelf Committee (French only) : spm.org
- Saint-Pierre & Miquelon History (primary sources): grandcolombier.com
- Saint-Pierre & Miquelon General Information: st-pierre-et-miquelon.com
I believe that France has a very clear claim and I wonder why this is even an issue. The Treaty gave France control all fishing rights and control over the area required for support of the local population. This included the area to the south and southeast of the islands to the “banks”. Being an old geographer, I mapped the area in 1968 (college project) and assumed that France ruled a fairly large area, to inclued the area in dispute.
Anti-French and Anti-SPM sentiment has exploded on various canadian news websites :
The transferrance of Anti-French sentiment as expressed in the USA between 2003 and 2007 is almost complete in this affair, demonstrating the trickle-down hatred model of popular culture jamming by ex-US officials.
Miquelon, I have been reading your provided links and, I must say, they certainly are testy up North! I have always loved Canada and I really do admire their people, but, I wish they would not dignify their point of view with insults. It’s the same everywhere, a few weak minds hurt the image of a whole, otherwise grand, people.
More anti-French and anti-SPM comments
Yahoo Canada
National Post
Fred Orth – wow fascinating. You mapped the area for IGN or just for your project ? 1968, that was one year after De Gaulle gave Elf Aquitaine permits to drill – a purely political stance.
Another spike in French Bashing in the comment sections of Canadian news sites.