Finding Franklin
The quest to find the remains of the
Franklin Expedition must have
sometimes seemed like folly. Imagine
trying to locate two wooden ships, lost
for 169 years in the vast and frigid
depths of Canada’s Arctic waters.
Still, enthusiastic Canadian history
hunters haven’t resisted the challenge.
Many times they mounted searches
and many times they failed. Finally, in
September, eureka! In an amazing turn
of events, the latest determined team
of Canadian archaeologists and
scientists located one of the two
vessels that made up the doomed
expedition.
“We’ve invested so much of our time,
so many years,” said Ryan Harris, one
of the archeologists on the search. “It
was like winning the Stanley Cup.”
The Franklin Expedition
The Franklin Expedition is the stuff of
legend. In 1845, Sir John Franklin and
his 128-man crew set sail from
England on the HMS Terror and the
HMS Erebus. They were seeking the
fabled Northwest Passage, a route that
would connect the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans. They wanted to be the first of
many searchers to find and claim for
England this critical trade lane.
The Franklin Expedition was the
biggest and best-equipped Arctic
2014/2015 • Issue 2
mission the Royal Navy had ever
launched. The Erebus and the Terror
were state-of-the-art, with copperreinforced hulls and steam-powered
propellers.
Unfortunately, all this new technology
didn’t help. The expedition got
trapped in ice for 18 months. The
entire crew died, the ships
disappeared, and people have been
hunting for the vessels ever since.
Sixth Time Lucky
Conditions weren’t great this summer
for combing the Arctic waters. Cold
weather shortened the usual six-week
search window and the heaviest sea
ice in years forced investigators south
of their chosen search area in the
Victoria Strait.
Undeterred, the team switched their
focus to the shallow waters of Queen
Maud Gulf, following clues left in the
oral history of the local Inuit. Stories
passed down for decades talked of two
ships trapped in the ice off King
William Island. Elders spoke of a
ghost ship drifting south, with a dead
white man aboard.
It appears the stories are true. This
time – the sixth search since 2008 –
was lucky.
“Mowing the grass”
The team got a break when a
What in the World? • Level 2
helicopter pilot who was ferrying the
search party to a barren island
stumbled across an iron fitting from a
Royal Navy vessel. The piece was too
heavy to have travelled far, so the
hunters reasoned the ship must be
nearby.
They cabled a sonar towfish to the
survey vessel, lowering it to just above
the sea floor. Then they started
“mowing the grass,” the name for an
underwater scan of 150-metre passes.
The towfish sends sound waves
through the water on both sides. When
the sound waves hit something, they
“ping” or bounce back.
Eyes On The Prize
Back on the surface, archaeologists
eagerly stared at the pattern of pings.
After only a couple of passes, the
wreck of one of Franklin’s ships
scrolled eerily onto their screen.
“I don’t think it was halfway down the
monitor when I shouted out, ‘That’s it!
That’s it! We found it!’” said Mr.
Harris.
The highly detailed images showed
the wreck sitting upright just 11
metres below the surface. The stern
was damaged. Its masts were gone.
Yet otherwise, the 30-metre ship
looked intact. The team later sent
down a remote-control mini-sub to
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video the hulk.
“There are some deck planks missing
and you can actually see openings on
the deck and the hatchways,” reported
Marc-André Bernier, a Parks Canada
archeologist who was part of the team.
“There’s a lot of debris. And two
bronze cannons – more proof that it’s
not an ordinary ship.”
After they checked the vessel’s
dimensions, they knew for certain
they’d found either the Erebus or the
Terror.
No Trespassers!
The exact location of the find is a
secret. Scientists worry that treasure
hunters will loot the ship and damage
priceless historical artifacts.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if people are
already contemplating how they might
get up there,” said John Geiger of the
Royal Canadian Geographic Society,
one of the sponsors of the hunt.
So Much To Learn
The next order of business is
identifying which of Franklin’s ships
they found. Ship blueprints and a
second dive will answer that question.
In mid-September, the search team
was hoping to dive again if the
weather permitted.
The second order of business is
discovering what’s inside.
“There may be documents in sealed
cylinders. There may be surviving
paper,” said Mr. Geiger. “If we’ve
found the flagship Erebus, Sir John’s
quarters [and his belongings] will be
there. There will be human remains.
There will be insights into how they
lived and how they died. There’s no
end to the answers we might be able to
glean.”
Added Mr. Bernier: “We have a
chance to look history in the eye.”
Telling The World
Prime Minister Stephen Harper flew
the team to Ottawa to announce the
news and to congratulate the
adventurers on their find.
“For more than a century, this has
been a great Canadian story and
mystery,” he said. “It’s been the
subject of scientists and historians and
writers and singers. This is truly a
historic moment for Canada.”
Who Owns The Wreck?
Britain launched the Franklin Expedition, but the ships sank in Canadian territory. So who owns the wreck?
The shipwreck belongs to Britain. However, according to a diplomatic agreement signed in 1997, Canada
has permission to recover the ship and its relics.
There are a few exceptions. Any human remains must be undisturbed. Any gold will be divided between
Canada and Britain. As well, Britain gets first dibs on artifacts significant to the British Navy.
Two Missions With Similar Stories
In some surprising ways, Sir John Franklin’s Arctic mission parallels that of the team sent to find his
wrecked ships 169 years later.
For example, just as Franklin wanted to claim the passage for England, Canada wants to assert its
sovereignty over the Arctic. Other nations, including Russia, appear to be contesting our claim, probably
eager to use the Arctic shipping corridor themselves. As well, potential resource development and the
effects of climate change are increasing other countries’ interest in the Arctic.
Franklin mapped the unknown coastlines he explored. The Canadian team also maps and surveys the Arctic
waters and shorelines as they pass because less than ten percent of the Canadian Arctic is charted to modern
standards.
And just like Franklin’s ships, with their copper-reinforced hulls and steam-powered propellers, the
Canadian expedition was better equipped than ever before, using the best available technology, such as
sophisticated sonar equipment and unmanned mini-submarines.
expedition: a journey or voyage undertaken by a group of people
with a particular purpose, especially that of exploration, scientific
research, or war
folly: lack of good sense; foolishness
relics: objects surviving from a distant time
2014/2015 • Issue 2
undeterred: persevering with something despite setbacks
sonar: a system for the detection of objects under water and for
measuring the water’s depth by emitting sound pulses and detecting
or measuring their return after being reflected
sovereignty: recognized authority to govern a territory
What in the World? • Level 2
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Ceasefire In Ukraine
A glimmer of peace is flickering in
eastern Europe after a ceasefire
between Ukraine and pro-Russian
separatists went into effect on
September 5. The fragile agreement
has largely put an end to clashes that
have killed more than 3,000 people
and caused the worst tensions between
Russia and the West since the Cold
War.
The Roots Of The Conflict
The roots of the conflict date back to
November 2013. That was when
hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian
citizens took to the streets to protest
their government’s decision to create
stronger economic ties with Russia
rather than the European Union (EU)
– after years of talks aimed at bringing
Ukraine and the EU closer politically.
The demonstrations began in the
capital of Kiev, but soon spread
throughout the country. Marchers
demanded that their president, Victor
Yanukovych, step down. They set
vehicles on fire, while police used tear
gas, rubber bullets, water cannons and
eventually live bullets to try to stop
the uprisings.
The Annexing Of Crimea
The violence escalated until February
23, when the Ukrainian government
2014/2015 • Issue 2
bowed to protesters’ demands and
voted 328-0 to remove Mr.
Yanukovych from power.
That made Ukrainian protesters happy
– but it angered Russian President
Vladimir Putin, who had been pushing
hard to have Ukraine join an economic
bloc that he has been trying to form in
recent years to compete with the EU.
So, on February 27, within days of
Mr. Yanukovych’s overthrow, the
Russian president sent in troops to
take over Crimea, a southern
peninsula in Ukraine. He said the
move was necessary to protect
Crimea’s Russian population from
oppression.
Soldiers seized key buildings and
closed government offices, airports,
seaports and military bases. They also
helped install a pro-Russia parliament,
and on March 21, Russia formally
annexed Crimea.
More Destabilization
The United Nations said the
annexation was illegal under
international law, but that didn’t stop
Russian loyalists from trying to take
over even more of Ukraine.
On April 6, pro-Russian rebels seized
government buildings in the regional
capitals of Donetsk, Luhansk, and
What in the World? • Level 2
Kharkiv. President Putin claimed they
weren’t acting for his government, but
many of the fighters carried weapons
believed to have come from the
Russian army.
NATO also released satellite pictures
showing what appeared to be Russian
tanks and military columns inside
Ukraine. The organization said at least
1,000 Russian troops were operating
there and 20,000 more were ready
near the border.
Ukraine fought back against these
attacks on its sovereignty, and
throughout the summer, both sides
gained and lost territory as the death
toll mounted. Many of the victims
were innocent civilians – including
298 passengers and 15 crew on board
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, believed
to have been shot down by Russian
rebels on July 17.
A War Of Sanctions
Meanwhile, Western nations watched
in frustration. Many governments,
including Canada, the United States,
and the EU, said Russia was acting
aggressively. They imposed sanctions
designed to hurt the Russian economy,
but these didn’t appear to have much
of an impact. In fact, the Russian
government responded by imposing its
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own sanctions against Canada, the EU,
the U.S. and several other countries.
“Strategies that work on weak,
frustrated states torn by internal
conflict will not work on us,” asserted
Mr. Putin in July.
A Breakthrough At Last
In late August, President Petro
Poroshenko of Ukraine declared that
his country had been “invaded” and
“was close to a point of no return – a
full-scale war.” Then – a
breakthrough. Talks between the
Ukrainian government, the rebels and
Russia resulted in the September 5
ceasefire.
The agreement allows for “temporary
local self-governance” in the areas that
Russian rebels control. It also calls for
the withdrawal of Russian fighters and
military equipment from Ukraine. As
well, it put in place a 10-kilometre
buffer zone along the Russian border.
However, throughout the negotiations,
Russia never admitted that their
soldiers were ever on Ukrainian soil.
A Fragile Peace
Observers recognize that the peace is
shaky at best. By September 20,
NATO’s top general said that the
ceasefire was “in name only.” He said
that while the number of Russian
troops in Ukraine had declined
significantly, they remain close to the
border, ready to do whatever Vladimir
Putin orders next.
Ukraine and Crimea
Strategically located in between Russia and the rest of Europe, Ukraine is about 603,700 square kilometres in
size – about two-thirds the size of Quebec.
Some 17 percent of Ukraine’s population of 44 million is Russian. This ethnic minority is heavily
concentrated in the eastern and southern regions of the country. Russian language and culture are dominant in
these areas, especially in Crimea.
This small republic was part of the Russian Republic until 1954, when it joined Ukraine. About 60 percent of
its two million citizens consider themselves Russian. A quarter of the residents are Ukrainian.
Crimea’s port city, Sevastopol, houses naval bases for the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
The Cold War
The Cold War, which lasted from 1945 to 1991, was a period of tension between Western democracies led by
the United States, and the communist Soviet Union.
These two superpowers had strongly opposing political, economic and social ideas. In the Soviet Union,
people weren’t free to speak out against the government or to practice religion, among other issues.
While the U.S. and the Soviet Union never actually fought during the Cold War, they did conduct proxy wars
around the globe and competed in an arms race that included thousands of nuclear bombs on each side.
After the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, its 15 republics – including Ukraine – became independent and the
Cold War ended. For a time, Russia moved toward democracy. However, President Vladimir Putin’s recent
actions have many Western leaders fearing that he might be trying to rebuild another anti-West federation in
Eastern Europe.
annexed: took control of
buffer zone: a neutral area serving to separate hostile forces
communist: of or relating to the belief that the government should
control all property and equally distribute wealth
European Union: a union of 28 member states formed in 1993 to
achieve political and economic integration
NATO: the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military alliance
of European and North American nations that was established in
1949. Members are committed to mutual defence; an attack on one is
an attack on all. NB: Ukraine is not a NATO member.
oppression: prolonged cruel or unjust treatment
proxy wars: wars brought about by major powers that do not
themselves become directly involved
2014/2015 • Issue 2
sanctions: penalties intended to maintain or restore respect for law or
authority, especially when taken by several countries together against
a country violating international law
separatists: people who want to form a new country, separate from
the one they are in now
Soviet Union: a communist nation led by Russia comprised of 15
republics that existed between 1922 and 1991
superpowers: states powerful enough to influence events throughout
the world
the West: a common term that refers mostly to North America and
Europe
What in the World? • Level 2
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Organizing Information For A Purpose: The 5 W ’s + How
A. To help you identify important information from Ceasefire in Ukraine, complete the organizer below with specific details and facts
from the article.
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
How?
B. After completing the organizer, consider: As you see it, how could this crisis have been prevented? If you think it was inevitable
(guaranteed to happen), please explain why.
2014/2015 • Issue 2
What in the World? • Level 2
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Between The Lines
An inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence. A plausible inference is supported by evidence in the article and is consistent with
known facts outside of the article.
What inference(s) can you draw from the fact that the West did not send soldiers or conduct airstrikes to defend Ukraine?
Beyond The Lines
Misinformation, propaganda, and lies have always been a part of conflict. What a Russian sees on TV about this crisis is very different
from what we see. And now, thanks to technology like YouTube and cellphone cameras, anyone can assemble and publish their own
version of events for the world to see. How do we know what to believe? Does the enormous increase in the number of news sources
and public opinions make us more or less informed than we were before the Internet was born?
Just Talk About It
1. Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are supposed to spend two percent of their nation’s gross domestic
product (GDP) on their militaries. This would require Canada to double our defence spending from $19 billion annually to $38 billion.
Should we be fulfilling this commitment?
2. Many experts believe that the Cold War did not turn into a third world war because of nuclear weapons and the MAD Principle - the
mutually assured destruction of both superpowers (and the planet) if open conflict was initiated. Others believe that such weapons are
too dangerous to exist. What do you think? Should humanity seek to ban nuclear weapons? Is it even possible? Explain your answer.
On-Line
Visit our student website at www.news4youth.com and click on the What in the World? tab to:
1. Watch an excellent two-minute summary of the crisis that was produced just before the ceasefire was announced (or visit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-qO42qjShg). Is Putin the politician “addicted” to the popularity at home that his military
actions have produced?
2. See an infographic that compares the militaries of Russia and Ukraine (or visit
http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2014/03/world/infographic-ukraine-russia-military/). Then use Google Images to find an
infographic that compares the U.S. and Russia.
3. Share in the laughs of tens of thousands who viewed a hilarious and sarcastic tweet by @CanadaNATO (or visit
http://news.yahoo.com/russia-replies-canadas-colorful-map-tweet-003953151.html).
2014/2015 • Issue 2
What in the World? • Level 2
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Islamic State’s Reign Of Terror
A brutal army of Sunni Islamic
extremists has taken over large
sections of Iraq and Syria. Islamic
State (IS), as the group is known, is
aiming to control the entire Middle
East and rule it according to Islamic
law.
IS is not new – the group is an offshoot of al-Qaeda that fought ‘foreign
invaders’ in Iraq after the U.S.-led
invasion of this Middle Eastern
country in 2003. However, over the
past few months, Islamic State has
been making headlines not only for
the speed at which it has been
advancing towards its goals, but for
the methods it is using to achieve
them.
A Swift Land Grab
During June, July, and August,
Islamic State’s twenty to thirty
thousand militants managed to take
over a huge swath of land on both
sides of the border between Iraq and
Syria. Most notably, they captured
Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, after
just four days of fighting.
As IS moved through the region,
hundreds of thousands of Iraqi and
Syrian civilians – and even some
members of the Iraqi military and
police – fled their homes and jobs.
Why? Because IS has a reputation for
2014/2015 • Issue 2
brutality. Its members routinely
conduct mass murders, kidnap
innocent civilians and torture
members of religious and ethnic
minorities.
punishments that include floggings
and executions.
Foreign Recruits Join In
IS Declares A Caliphate
Since IS declared itself a caliphate,
thousands of recruits from around the
world have joined its fight. Experts
say an estimated 12,000 fighters from
almost 80 countries – including the
U.S., Canada and European nations –
are believed to have travelled to Syria
and Iraq to take up arms with the
extremists.
On June 29, Islamic State declared
itself a caliphate. That’s the Islamic
name given to a state ruled by a single
political and religious leader and
governed according to Islamic law,
known as Sharia.
The West is becoming increasingly
concerned. What if these foreign
recruits return home to launch terrorist
activities? It’s possible. IS has already
made direct threats against the U.S.,
Canada and other nations.
IS says its caliphate stretches from the
city of Aleppo in Syria to the province
of Diyala in Iraq. However, it plans to
expand this area, promising to “break
the borders” of Jordan and Lebanon
and to “free Palestine.”
A Global Problem
The group even tries to intimidate the
rest of the world. In August and
September, it aired a series of graphic
videos depicting the barbaric
executions of two Western journalists
and one aid worker.
Little is known about Islamic State’s
leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, but the
group claims he now has spiritual
authority over the world’s estimated
1.5 billion Muslims. As for the eight
million people living directly under IS
control, the group forces women to
wear veils, non-Muslims to pay a
special tax or convert, and it imposes
What in the World? • Level 2
Analysts say that Islamic State is a
threat to world security for other
reasons, too. For one thing, the group
now controls territory greater than the
size of many countries. As well, after
capturing oil fields and taking over
army bases, banks, and government
offices, and plundering Americansupplied arms, ammunition, vehicles
and military helicopters, IS has a huge
arsenal of weapons and is worth about
$2 billion. That makes IS the world’s
wealthiest militant group, more like a
nation than a terrorist organization –
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and a lot more difficult to fight.
“We, like our allies, have grown
increasingly alarmed in recent months
by the growing power of [IS] … and
the carnage it is wreaking in its
expansion,” Prime Minister Stephen
Harper said. “It has become a grave
danger to the security of the region,
and if left unchecked, this lawless area
will become a training ground for
international terrorists.”
The West Responds
To protect Iraqi and Syrian civilians
and weaken Islamic State, the U.S. has
been conducting airstrikes on
militants. However, in the face of the
growing international threat from IS,
on September 10, U.S. President
Barack Obama stated that a global
coalition was needed to “degrade and
ultimately destroy” Islamic State.
By mid-September, over 40 countries
had pledged to help in this fight. For
its part, by late September Canada had
sent 69 soldiers to advise Iraqi forces
in the north, had given $28 million in
humanitarian aid, and was considering
further options.
The U.S. President was pleased with
the response, but continued to press
for more countries to become involved
in this urgent matter.
While an “overwhelming majority of
Muslims are peaceful,” Mr. Obama
said, “in the Muslim world right now,
there is a cancer that has grown for too
long that suggests that it is acceptable
to kill innocent people who worship a
different God … We have to get the
international community to recognize
this is a problem.’’
War in Iraq and Syria
Iraq used to be ruled by dictator Saddam Hussein. However, the United States and the United Kingdom –
with the support of some other countries – removed him from power in 2003. They said he was a threat to
world security because they believed he illegally possessed weapons of mass destruction.
No such weapons were ever found in the country. But foreign soldiers remained in Iraq until 2011 to fight
against al-Qaeda and other insurgents who wanted to prevent the new Iraqi government from succeeding.
Syria has been engaged in a ruthless civil war since 2011. Opposition forces are battling Syrian dictator
Bashar al-Assad’s government for control of the country.
Sunnis and Shia
Islam is one of the world’s major religions. It was founded by the Prophet Muhammad, who lived from 570
to 632 CE.
Followers of Islam are known as Muslims. Most Muslims are either Sunnis or Shias. The two groups were
formed when Muslims quarreled over who should lead after Muhammad died with neither a son nor a will.
Sunnis believed that the caliph (leader of all Muslims) should be the man who was best equipped to lead:
Muhammad’s father-in-law. Shias believed that Ali, the son-in-law of Muhammad, had the spiritual
authority to lead.
About 85 percent of Muslims are Sunnis. While they are in the majority in most Middle Eastern countries,
Iraq is one exception: more than 60 percent of its population is Shia. Many of Iraq’s Sunnis feel they have
suffered under the Shia-dominated government in Baghdad, and some believe that these feelings may have
contributed to the rise of IS throughout the country.
Most Muslims don’t consider Islamic State members to be true Muslims. They say the actions of these
militants are not in line with the teachings of Islam.
allies: groups or nations that align for a common cause
al-Qaeda: the militant Islamic fundamentalist group
responsible for numerous terrorist attacks against the
West, most notably the September 11, 2001 (9/11)
attacks in New York and Washington
carnage: the savage and excessive killing of many
people
civil war: a war between two or more groups in same
country
2014/2015 • Issue 2
ethnic: relating to a population subgroup with a
common national or cultural tradition
extremists: people who hold extreme views and are
willing to act, often violently, to realize their beliefs
insurgents: people who are fighting to take control of
their country by force
What in the World? • Level 2
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On The Lines
Answer the following in complete sentences:
1. List at least four important facts about Islam.
2. The Islamic State controls territory in which two Middle Eastern countries?
3. How many fighters belong to this group?
4. Where have many of these fighters come from?
5. Why has this group grown so strong in recent months?
6. What is the ultimate goal of this extremist group?
7. Explain what a caliphate is.
8. What is the United States doing to protect civilians and to weaken Islamic State?
9. How has Canada contributed to this coalition?
Between The Lines
An inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence. A plausible inference is supported by evidence in the article and is consistent with known
facts outside of the article.
What inference(s) can you draw from the fact that the two countries where IS is operating – Iraq and Syria – both have a recent history of war
and instability?
Beyond The Lines
1. Would you be surprised to learn that Indonesia (which is nowhere near the Middle East) has the largest population of Muslims on Earth?
Or how about the fact that the Christian Bible and Jewish Torah are considered by Muslims to be Divine revelations? In his landmark speech
in Cairo, President Obama said, “So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather
than peace.” Take some time understand this quote – and then learn more about Islam.
2. Islam is not the only major religion to have split in two. It is now estimated that there are over 40,000 sects of Christianity in the world.
Research the events surrounding the Protestant Reformation and the birth of some of these religions.
Just Talk About It
1. a) What is your understanding of Islamic State – what it is and what its aims are?
b) For what reasons are concerned about IS? For what reasons are you not concerned?
c) If you were Canada’s prime minister, how would you handle Islamic State?
2. Iraq, an American ally, has been seeking military support against Islamic State since this crisis erupted. Syria, on the other hand, is
immersed in a brutal civil war against moderate and extremist rebels alike. Their president and government are enemies of the United States.
Should we be helping Bashar al-Assad by bombing his IS enemies on Syrian soil?
3. While every nation and religion (and virtually all terror groups) are opposed to IS, thousands of young men from all over the world are
traveling to Iraq and Syria to fight by their side. What reasons can you suggest to explain these tragic (and often fatal) decisions?
On-Line
Visit our student website at www.news4youth.com and click on the What in the World? tab to:
1. Watch an excellent four-minute cartoon that explains what’s happening with Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (or visit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQPlREDW-Ro).
2. Find out why the Syrian government would help IS by purchasing their discounted oil (or visit
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10585391/Syrias-Assad-accused-of-boosting-al-Qaeda-with-secret-oildeals.html).
2014/2015 • Issue 2
What in the World? • Level 2
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The Age Of Drones
In a sparsely populated area of
Queensland, Australia, an unmanned
contraption with a wing and four
propellers is hovering about 50 metres
above the ground. It lowers a package
on a line to farmers waiting below.
Google, the giant technology
company, is testing its experimental
drone delivery service.
Meanwhile in Namibia, Africa, the
World Wildlife Fund is already using
drones to spot wildlife poachers. In
West Africa, U.S. Air Force drones
have been searching for schoolgirls
abducted by militants. In Bhutan,
South Asia, drones deliver medical
supplies to remote clinics. In Japan,
farmers are using them to monitor
crops growing on steep hillsides.
Drones are hard at work in Canada,
too. In Milton, Ontario, a geographer
uses one equipped with a compact
digital camera for an aerial survey of a
gravel pit. A Toronto film company
uses drones to shoot car commercials
and provide videos for real estate
companies. Nova Scotia RCMP have
one that carries a heat sensor to locate
missing hikers. And the Vancouver
Aquarium is using a drone to monitor
and record images of orcas.
Welcome to the world of drones,
where the technology is evolving at a
dizzying pace.
2014/2015 • Issue 2
What Is A Drone?
Drones come in all shapes and sizes
and are also known as unmanned
aerial vehicles (or UAVs). Pilots
control them from the ground using a
device such as a tablet, smartphone or
controller. Increasingly, drones are
armed with GPS and other
navigational equipment, and can
virtually fly themselves once told
where to go. UAVs make it possible to
gather information or deliver goods in
dangerous environments or places that
are hard to access.
While the day of the drones is
definitely upon us, the legislation is
lagging behind.
“It’s hard to regulate something that’s
evolving so quickly,” said an official
with Transport Canada, the agency
charged with that responsibility.
Regulators have two chief concerns to
consider: safety and privacy.
Safety Concerns
Individual drones may not pose much
hazard in remote and unpopulated
areas, but can you imagine hundreds
of them flying overhead in busy city
skies?
Currently, anyone in Canada using
drones for commercial purposes must
apply to Transport Canada for a
Special Flight Operation Certificate
What in the World? • Level 2
and demonstrate that they can conduct
their planes safely. But any hobbyist
can fly a UAV for fun, as long as the
aircraft weighs less than 35 kilograms
and the pilot follows the basic rules
that apply to model aircraft. That may
not be the case for long, however.
Canadian authorities are considering
new rules for drone use.
Recently Canada’s Transportation
Safety Board investigated a case
where an Air Canada pilot spotted a
drone a few dozen metres from his jet.
“Aircraft are tested for bird strikes on
a regular basis,” says Vancouver
aviation lawyer Lee Mauro. “But they
are not tested for a 70-pound (32kilogram) carbon-fibre drone flying
into the engine or the windscreen.”
In the U.S., the Federal Aviation
Authority (FAA) has banned almost
all commercial drone use. It has set up
test sites in six states across the
country from Alaska to New York
where research will be done to see
whether drones can be made to detect
and avoid obstacles – including other
aircraft – and whether they can
operate safely when they lose contact
with their operators.
“Safety continues to be our first
priority as we move forward with
integrating unmanned systems into
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U.S. airspace,” said an FAA
statement.
Privacy Concerns
Recently, a Vancouver apartment
dweller was spooked when he saw a
drone hovering just off his 36th floor
patio, aiming a camera right at him.
“Drones can be so cool, but they
create privacy issues,” he said.
In the U.S., the American Civil
Liberties Union (ACLU) has
concerns that drones could move the
nation closer to “a surveillance society
in which our every move is tracked,
recorded and scrutinized by the
authorities.”
“It’s certainly something that we’re
going to see more discussion of,” says
Roger Haessel, chief executive at the
Canadian Centre for Unmanned
Vehicle Systems, which is opening the
first training centre in North America
for UAV operators.
“What are appropriate guidelines on
the privacy front?”
Delivery By Drone
In the U.S., technology giants such as
Google and Amazon are pushing the
FAA to allow commercial drone
delivery services. Google says it
would provide a cheaper, faster, less
wasteful and more environmentally
friendly option for customers.
“Throughout history, major shifts in
how we move goods from place to
place have led to new opportunities
for economic growth and generally
made consumers’ lives easier,” the
company said in a release.
Google is still working out the bugs,
but it expects to have “Project Wing”
– its drone delivery service – ready in
a few years. That may put it ahead of
the American public, which isn’t yet
comfortable with the idea of drones
buzzing about its cities.
“There is the technology piece and
then there is the public acceptance
piece, and both have to evolve,” says
NASA’s principal investigator Dr.
Parimal H. Kopardekar.
“How do you have them safely land
and take off in the presence of a
grandma in her garden and kids
playing soccer?”
Most industry watchers agree that
drones are about to transform all sorts
of industries. They could revolutionize
our economy and lifestyles in ways we
could only have dreamed of just a few
years ago.
It won’t be long before drones will be
monitoring oil pipelines and largescale farming. Drones will be sent in
after a natural disaster, when streets
are impassable, to perform damage
assessment and spot survivors. Police
forces will use them for security
sweeps at large, crowded events, or
for search and rescue.
“It’s mind boggling how quickly this
area is growing,” says one aerial
survey specialist. “The applications
are endless.”
Did You Know?
You could soon have your own personal drone following you around. One tech company is marketing a
palm-sized drone designed to accompany you and take video selfies that are streamed to your
smartphone.
Military Drones
Part of the controversy around drones comes from their use for military purposes. Many people associate
them with mechanized, faceless warfare. Military UAVs carry a wealth of sensors and can also be armed
with laser-guided missiles.
Although unmanned, they are not unpiloted. Crew at a base, which may be near the combat zone or
thousands of kilometres away, steer the drone, review images that it sends back, and act on what they see.
U.S. military drones carry out reconnaissance flights in numerous locations in the Middle East, South
Asia and Africa. They have been used to fire missiles on suspected militants in Pakistan’s tribal areas,
sparking outrage when these military strikes have also killed civilians.
ACLU: an organization that aims to defend and preserve the
individual rights and freedoms of Americans
commercial: the pursuit of profit by businesses or individuals
legislation: the act of making or enacting laws
poacher: a person who illegally hunts game, fish, etc., on someone
else’s property
2014/2015 • Issue 2
reconnaissance: an inspection or exploration of an area, especially
one made to gather military information
What in the World? • Level 2
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On The Lines
Answer the following in complete sentences:
1. Describe what is a drone is and explain its purpose.
2. Give at least four examples of where and for what reasons drones have been used.
3. Which Canadian agency is charged with regulating aviation?
4. How do the rules in Canada differ for commercial versus recreational use of drones?
5. Describe the rules for drones in the United States.
6. Discuss at least one safety concern and one privacy concern about drone technology.
7. Why do many people associate drones with the military?
Between The Lines
An inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence. A plausible inference is supported by evidence in the article and is consistent with
known facts outside of the article.
What inference(s) can you draw from the fact that America has been slower than most countries to allow for the commercial use of
drones?
Beyond The Lines
There are an estimated two million public-facing cameras in the United Kingdom. Used in the vast majority of criminal investigations,
these cameras continue to have the support of the majority of their citizens. On the accelerating debate of privacy vs. security, what
side do you sit on? Should there be cameras (or perhaps drones) that keep an eye on the streets of your neighbourhood?
Just Talk About It
1. Imagine that you are in charge of developing the rules and regulations for the commercial and recreational use of drones. What
would your legislation look like and how would you enforce it?
2. United Parcel Service (UPS) delivers an estimated 15 million packages to more than six million customers around the world every
day, often in brown trucks driven by one of their over 400,000 human employees. If drone use becomes widespread, many jobs will
disappear while others will be created. How many possible uses for drones can you come up with? Try to predict as many of the
resulting labour force changes as you can.
3. Much has been said about the potential for drones to hurt people, but what about the opposite problem? Do you think drones would
be safe from vandalism and theft? What measures could be taken to ensure their safety?
On-Line
Visit our student website at www.news4youth.com and click on the What in the World? tab to:
1. See what the enthusiasts at “Droning Skies” have to show you, including infographics, sleek new models, stunning videos, and a
dog-walking drone (or visit http://droningskies.com/what-are-drones-good-for/).
2. Watch the PBS Nova documentary “Rise of the Drones” (or visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOzCiCl05Ec).
3. Decide for yourself: Do drone attacks do more harm than good? Read the opinions and join the debate (or visit
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/09/25/do-drone-attacks-do-more-harm-than-good).
2014/2015 • Issue 2
What in the World? • Level 2
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