p. The post war era, boundary issues with Canada

Moving forward to the 1950s and 1960s, the local fishing industry employed a great number of locals as the fleet became more mechanised. Codfish remained the essential resource for the islands. However by 1977, a serious territorial dispute arose between France and Canada as both countries extended their territorial rights to 200 miles offshore.

The fact that Newfoundland and Saint-Pierre are only separated by a twelve-mile stretch of water created a political conundrum as both states claimed overlapping territorial rights. This issue would become the focal point of local and regional politics for the next two decades.

In 1981, the government of France requested an international arbitration over the territorial and fishing rights of both countries. In 1986 Ottawa proposed an ad hoc international tribunal determining sole territorial rights. France rejected the offer and tensions flared between Newfoundland and Saint-Pierre. In 1988 Canada went so far as to close its harbours to French vessels, and accused them of over fishing the resources.

When fishing quotas were drastically cut, the local population and its politicians organised a number of spectacular political protests including the « illegal » fishing campaign of 1988 which culminated with the arrest of the entire crew of the Croix de Lorraine, which included most of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon’s politicians. Despite protests and large fines, there was no end result.

The ad hoc International Tribunal in New York was left to determine the boundary between France and Canada. The Tribunal set forth its final decision in June of 1992 by granting Saint-Pierre and Miquelon a small economic zone upon which was pinned a 100-mile long, 10-mile wide corridor to international waters.

This decision stunned observers from both countries, but Canada believed it had benefited the most. The settlement of the boundary issue between France and Canada has opened the door to future oil exploration but the fundamentals of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon’s economy has yet again been changed dramatically.