Thank you very much for your comments and for raising this very important question, which, as you say, does advance Canada's interest in terms of our ability to exploit our natural resources beyond the 200-mile continental shelf.
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, all coastal states are entitled to a continental shelf of 200 nautical miles. Countries, however, may define the continental shelf limits beyond 200 miles if certain criteria are met under UNCLOS.
A provisional analysis demonstrated that Canada has a large extended continental shelf in both the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. Working with DFAIT and Fisheries and Oceans, we've allocated $109 million since 2004 to fund the extended continental shelf program. That includes a large research initiative to survey the ocean seabed. This is of course important, because if resources, valuable resources, are found, they would accrue to Canada's economic benefit.
The program is on track to make a strong submission to the commission this December. The 2013-14 funding will help complete the scientific, technical, and legal work required to prepare the submission, and has already helped us to do that.
Extending our continental shelf program will be, as I say, a huge gain for Canada's resource development. It's a key element in the federal government's northern strategy and statement on Canada's Arctic foreign policy in exercising Canada's northern sovereignty.