British Columbia owned the Nanoose Bay seabed, leasing it to the Government of Canada for use as a torpedo testing range. During negotiations to renew the lease, B.C. asked for assurances that there would be no nuclear weapons in Nanoose Bay.

A preliminary agreement was signed on May 5, 1999 which included the no-nuclear-weapons clause, but the Government of Canada refused to ban nuclear warheads, broke off talks and began legal proceedings to expropriate the seabed.

	Nanoose Bay British Columbia owned the Nanoose Bay seabed, leasing it to the Government of Canada for use as a torpedo testing range. During negotiations to renew the lease, B.C. asked for assurances that there would be no nuclear weapons in Nanoose Bay. A preliminary agreement was signed on May 5, 1999 which included the no-nuclear-weapons clause, but the Government of Canada refused to ban nuclear warheads, broke off talks and began legal proceedings to expropriate the seabed.