By Devin Stevens Federal officials say Sydney, N.S., has the inside track on becoming the base for the Canadian Coast Guard’s upcoming polar icebreakers as the country continues the push to assert its sovereignty in the Arctic. The government announced Tuesday that the Cape Breton port is the preferred location as the maintenance base for the two new vessels. Ottawa cited the deep, ice-free harbour, proximity to Sydney’s Canadian Coast Guard Academy and the fact the port has one of the shortest routes to the Arctic from Eastern Canada. It’s also near Halifax, headquarters of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Atlantic fleet. Mike Kelloway, the local member of Parliament and parliamentary secretary to the minister of transport, said Sydney has access to specialized marine trades, year-round transportation links and a harbour…
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