Alaska Boundary Dispute - 1903

Background

U.S. Bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 and claimed the “panhandle” as part of the U.S. Including the port of Skagway which gave access to the interior of B.C. And the Yukon

Canada disagreed with the width of the American claims

Gold was discovered in the Yukon – thousands rushed to make claims

Whoever controlled Skagway (shipping port) would certainly make more money

How they Resolved it

They held a tribunal to the boundary dispute The tribunal had 3 Americans present, 2 Canadians and 1

British judge The British judge sided with the Americans, the Canadians

were surprised because they awarded the U.S. With almost all of the panhandle

The British sided with the U.S. Because the U.S. threatened to take the panhandle by force and because Britain needed the U.S. To aid them if they were ever in a war (they were close to war)

British view – Canada's view

Britain needed friendly relations with the US because they were that close to war

Britain needed allies due to the negative opinion of it after the Boer War

Canada felt betrayed by Britain!

Canada helped Britain in the Boer War 1899-1902!Canada was part of the British Empire!

ResultCanada established its own Foreign Affairs Office to look after Canada’s relations with other countries instead of the having the British speak for us

This was a start of an Independent Canadian foreign Policy away from Britain.