Distance is a veil of ignorance, and even when the prejudices of specific viewpoints can be overcome, the friction caused by unique sociocultural differences is still not eliminated. The Arctic, one of the world’s last unexplored regions, reveals a unique dynamic, highlighting complex dilemmas and choices that often have more than one dimension for states to consider when making decisions, choosing sides, setting policy, entering the conflict, or supporting or not supporting certain allies. The analysis presented here addresses the issues raised by Canadian legal unilateralism, given the geostrategic potential of the new sea route. This a fact that has much to reveal for the correct understanding of Canadian foreign policy, but it also tells us much about the mesoscale geopolitical context, namely the need for a common and coherent security policy to contain the largest regional actor – Russia.