In 2006 a report prepared by the staff of the Parliamentary Information and Research Service of Canada suggested that because of the September 11 attacks , the United States might be less interested in pursuing the international waterways claim in the interests of having a more secure North American perimeter . This report was based on an earlier paper , '' The Northwest Passage Shipping Channel : Is Canada 's Sovereignty Really Floating Away ? '' by Andrea Charron , given to the 2004 Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute Symposium . Later in 2006 former United States Ambassador to Canada , Paul Cellucci agreed with this position ; however , the succeeding ambassador , David Wilkins , stated that the Northwest Passage was in international waters
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Northwest Passage