Skip navigation

 Login or Register | Member Centre

Russians claim vast swaths of Arctic Ocean

DOUGLAS BIRCH

Associated Press

Latest comment posted at 3:07 AM EDT 02/08/07

Pair of ships travel through ice, reach North Pole in attempt to claim petroleum-rich Arctic, plant flag on seabed ...Read the full article

This conversation is closed

  1. Just the Truth from Canada writes: It's time to blame the Libbies for Tory inaction on national defence during the last, say . . . 18 months and TWO budgets.
  2. D K from Canada writes: Ya we don't need ice breakers....who would ever make claims in the Arctic......EVERYONE! Wait till it warms up a bit and oil stocks diminish.
  3. Rusty Waters from Canada writes: Now we know why Harper is spending billions of tax payers money to build patrol boats. The patrol boats are to take aging boomers to the arctic to observe the Russian and Danish culture there. When is Canada going to become a country instead of being a sidekick to the Americans following the policy of using force and killing to obtain its goals. Its time for Canada to make its presence known in the Arctic. We need a large research ship with scientists and academics up in the Arctic getting information to support our ownership of the arctic. (Learn a quick lesson from the Russians, Harper) The Japanese and the other Asian countries are using their brains and technology to improve their economic situation and they are dominating the world economy. The Russians are in the north using technology and scientists to advance their cause. Meanwhile Canadians are are in Afghanastan destroying a people and its culture there and spending billions of hard earned tax payers money to do it. Patrol boats and guns are not the answer for Canadians in the Arctic. Expect the Americans soon to be looking for their cut of the Arctic. There's oil there. Will we send soldiers there to fight for the America need to grab the oil? Its time to drop the guns and bring on the intellectuals.
  4. Hans Lucas from Toronto, Canada writes: I say this is the beginning of another COLD war. Go Can Go!!!
  5. The Last Bastion from Canada writes: Well since we all know the Russians are the supreme masters of the submarine (think Kursk), I'm sure the mission will be an unflagging success!! And what are they going to do when they find the oil and gas reserves? No one will enter exploration contracts with them after the illegal expropriation of Yukos, they couldn’t raise a single Ruble in international bond circles, so ya, Go Russia! Get that oil!
  6. Erik Richards from Winnipeg, MB, writes: Just the Truth from Canada writes: 'It's time to blame the Libbies for Tory inaction on national defence during the last, say . . . 18 months and TWO budgets.'

    Sorry - I missed your point. Are you saying that the Conservatives - who are attacked on here regularly for being blood-thirsty aggressive warmongers - should have immediately ramped up and spent billions overnight to secure the north? Let's say you're suggesting exactly that. He didn't do that, so according to you he's a bad PM for neglecting the north. If that's the case, how much more guilt then should the Liberals have for their 12 years of inaction?!?
  7. Carlos Jose from Happytown, Canada writes: While these northern waters are of great importance to Canada, we lack the military/coastguard capacity to enforce control of these waters, even if we had a couple icebreakers to get there in the first place. I think we need to take a measured approach to this situation. If we ran up there and shoved our flag in the seabottom, but had no means of enforcing sovereignity, what would be the point? Russian nuclear subs have been lurking in the arctic ocean for many years now - they have the capacity to enforce their claims, whereas we do not and are not likely to spend the money to make that happen. It would cost Canada many billions of dollars to bring a nuclear submarine force online, along with a fleet of icebreakers and personnel, and we simply lack the will to make that happen.
  8. Joe Calgarian from Calgary, Canada writes: I know it's not feasible, but it'd be awesome if when they got there a couple of CF-18's just happen to do a low level fly by over top of those ships, kick in the afterburners while they're at it and make all the Ruskie's crap their pants!
  9. Josua Cord from Courtenay, Canada writes: Say, what better place than the North Pole for the location of the Natinal Portrait Gallery!!! It serves our national interest on arctic sovereinity, is neutral to the rest of Canada and can be viewed by all nations as they pass by on the way to the oil fields. It could express our sovereignity even more if Mr Harper would have his portrait added as a contemporary addition to the collection.
  10. D. Smith from Canada writes: What will happen to the Russian claims on the Arctic when the submarines dredge up the remains of the Avro Arrow dumped there by 'Dief'. Or maybe they already have and are keeping quiet about it?
  11. Burger King from Canada writes: Oh those dirty Russians!
  12. maluxa . from paris, on, Canada writes: Joe Calgarian - are you 6? When they do that, a couple of squadrons of russian MIGs will respond in kind. These are international waters and a hostile act from a tiny air force will draw a bigger response.
  13. rahim ladha from Montreal, Canada writes: And where are ships??? in Ottawa lol

    Canada plans to build and operate...this those are the words I keep hearing for 4 years, how long does planning take??

    The clock is ticking for the deadline to the claim on Artic
  14. Diego Monico from Mississauga, Canada writes: Just put a couple of Liberal MP's in there to rise in full indignation and shout 'this is our Land'. I'm sure the Russians will tremble in fear, apologize, turn around and hightail back to Russia. That's as far as the Liberal's policy is about the arctic.
  15. Robert M from Ottawa, Canada writes: And the wolves start coming out of the woods when the deer run out.

    This will boil down to a might-makes-right issue ... Canada had better start making some strategic alliances very soon.
  16. Dan Green from Toronto, Canada writes: Be careful. Remember the Russian Bear can be dangerous. They might posion one of our dimplomats, if we are not cordial .
  17. Roland Neissinger from Latteville, Canada writes: If we can't do anything else.....maybe accept the Russian ships presence as a sight seeing tour their way......:-)
  18. Rain SCM from Vancouver, Canada writes: Send in Greenpeace. Just the fact that it is a nuclear ship should be justification enough.
  19. Terry F from Edmonton, Canada writes: Drop some sonobuoys and ping the h*ll out of them. Let them know that we're onto them. Sure was a good idea stripping the military for quick cash over the last 40 years, wasn't it Libbies? You get what you sow.
  20. Cardinal Richelieu from TORONTO, Canada writes: Tsar Vladimir is following classic Russian foreign policy. He is selling arms to Iran, threatening border countries in Europe and now wants to stake his claim to the North Pole. Methinks this has to do more with his leaving power in 2008. Russia is awash with cash due to inflated oil prices, and with the inevitable cyclicality of the oil market they could be very broke in only a matter of years. The only way to deal with Russia is firm solidarity of nations. If Russia wishes to be part of the community of nations and enjoy long term properity they must abandon sabre rattling and grow up.
  21. FormerRussian ProudCanadian from Toronto, Canada writes: Don’t give up our Artic to Russians! Don&8217;t be scared from their old atomic icebreakers! Be sure that their scientific research vessels without any scientists. They are all gone to North America or to Europe decades ago. All Russian scientific data are made in KGB in now days.
  22. Paul Jones from Kitchener, Canada writes: is anyone else PO'd that when the Russians get there they wont see a Canadian flag flapping lazily in the current at the bottom of the ocean? since when did we let the Russians have a free hand in claiming territory? youd think the US would be supporting our bid on what we control in the arctic to keep it out of Russian hands. but then, that might actually make sense.
  23. Carly MacKay from United States writes: You know I have to shake my head at some posters. This article is about the Russians trying to stake a claim to the North pole and the resources of the Arctic. THEY ARE THERE NOW! Yet some posters are reasoning 'Expect the Americans soon to be looking for their cut of the Arctic. There's oil there. Will we send soldiers there to fight for the America need to grab the oil?' The more pressing question is will you fight for the Russian need to grab the oil? If you would stop one second with your dreaded hate and fear of all things American you would realize there is more than one bully on the block, we just get the most press. While you are busy planning out how to defend your rightful share of the resources from the Americans another country is going to swoop in there and claim it all for themselves. They will have the area covered in their patrol boats and ice breakers. What will you do then? Still worry about the Americans and blame us for the fact the Russians are up there??
  24. james p from Canada writes: don't really know my geography, but perhaps Russia has the largest population in closest proximity to the Pole. dunno. at least they're thinking ahead; the US is all over the Persian Gulf after all, and this adventure ought to spur the required nationalistic passions. interesting times we live in.
  25. Peter Cromerovich from Erehwon, Canada writes: Rusty Waters from Canada:'Its time to drop the guns and bring on the intellectuals'

    Sorry, Canada's New Government (TM) doesn't have any intellectuals; it is stocked with evangelical lightweights guided by martial raptural ideology and firm belief in history and 'science' defined by such gems as humans playing catch with dinosaur eggs a few thousand years ago.
  26. Amy Smart from Mississauga, Canada writes: What do you IDIOTS know about polar exploration and charting a country's perimeter. KEEP TROLLING, what a bunch of l0sers
  27. CPT America from United States writes: Hey Rusty Wasters, you are obviously not the one of the 'intellectuals' you speak of.
  28. Fiar Nosdrahcir from Canada writes: Anyone notice in the article how the Russian ships broke through multi-year ice? Any idea if this has anything to do with the shrinking of the Ice Fields that border the polar ice caps? This is the equivalent of the endanger polar bear habitat that is causing so much concern the environmentalists here in NA, where are they now? Thought they would be making a fuss by now!
  29. Carly MacKay from United States writes: Amy Smart from Mississauga, Canada writes: What do you IDIOTS know about polar exploration and charting a country's perimeter. KEEP TROLLING, what a bunch of l0sers

    Amy, one does not have to know much about polar or charting a country's perimeters. The question is why are the Russians so concerned about such things now? Or the Danes, or sometime in the future my country? The intent of the article is to inform Canadians that you had probably start making some claims yourselves if you ever want to share in the resources of the Arctic. Also, no one in any of the comments were 'trolling'. Trolling is when one individual continuously returns to a comment board to insult posters. Well, wait a minute I guess there might be one troll.....
  30. gord winters from Canada writes: to benefit from resources you have to be able to control them

    we never cared about the arctic.

    anyone whining now, tory or liberal, has no one to blame but themselves.
  31. Dave Herzog from Iowa, United States writes: To Paul Jones:

    Every day you bad mouth the US and blame them for everything. You now have the gall to think the USA would back Canada here?

    Why don't you read your own posts. Face it Canada is really not much of a country. I'd back the Russians.
  32. Alberto Bayo from Canada writes: So the Russians sunk a flag at the North pole. The Canadian flag is flying topside at the North pole along with the flags of many nations, unless the Russians pulled them all down and dumped them in the drink.
  33. Michael Owens from Canada, Canada writes: Having worked in Northern Siberia, Yukon, & NWT, I think both Russia and Canada have legititmate claims to the artic. Siberia is massive, when compared to the rest of Europe. Before the Soviet Union was dissolved, it was the largest country in the world, with Canada being second largest. The 2 country's dominate the far North.
  34. Paul Hume from oakville, Canada writes: Oh the north is still ours, don't we have 100 inuit(sp) running around with bolt action rifles up there? Rangers I believe they are called.

    We do not have the capacity to control the area, may as well let the Russians and the US butt heads over it. We lost our shot years ago.
  35. bill mcdonald from Canada writes: I guess we'll be sending in the army , navy , air force but first we'll have to find a counrty we can lease helicopters from then a country to tow our used subs Northward from dry dock. By the time we get the army back from Afghanistan I'm sure the Russians will be in cntrol of the area. In Vegas I'd put my money on the Russians over Canada. Can't wait to hear O'Connor's/Harper's comments. Better ask Bush if he can help us out.
  36. Green Jerry from Canada writes: So Russia gets a headline at home. Big deal. Then in a couple of weeks Denmark will claim Hans Island again. It gives the diplomats something to talk about. NEXT!
  37. A M from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada writes: Carly MacKay from United States
    One Word: OIL

    I say send Russia a Message don't mess with Canadians and our territory we have no problem defending it and even the Russian Winter can't make us run away.
  38. Rick Drysdale from Calgary, Canada writes: Does anyone know which north pole this article is about.

    The magnetic or geographic?

    On google earth they say the magnetic is Canadian territory and it is pretty close . The other is north of Greenland and no where near Canada.

    If this is about that one this is a non story as far as we are concerned.

    The dispute is between Russia and Denmark for they say that area is an extention of their territories.
  39. Stephie O from Canada writes: Some people do care about the Arctic - and the polar bears, and global warming, no matter what their nationality.

    The Canadian Armed Forces are already there and have been for years....although not en masse. A family member who is in the military brought me back a fleecy from the North Pole a few years ago.
  40. Haywood Jablowme from Canada writes: What a country Canada has become... The Russians are laying claim to Canadian soil and all we do is stand by and welcome them. What a joke. This is what years of shredding military budgets and leaders with no back bone have done to this once proud nation.
  41. stand up mimi from Canada writes: From the article: “For the first time in history, people will go down to the sea bed under the North Pole,&8221; Mr. Balyasnikov told the Associated Press. &8220;It's like putting flag on the moon.&8221;

    Planting a flag somewhere does not mean you own a place. I agree with Cardinal Richelieu - Russia could be in deep economic trouble in the next few years. Even now it has nowhere near the power it used to have, and is fast losing the goodwill of other nations. The way to deal with this is not by panicking. However, Canada needs to get icebreakers up there and establish a presence. Where are they?
  42. Chris Haines from Vancouver, writes: This is awesome. The Russians make way better mortal enemies than the Islamic Terrorists. Plus, fighting in the arctic adds new meaning to the term 'cold war'.
  43. Jake ---- from Canada writes: 'Dave Herzog', we only bad mouth the moron's running your country. If this Article was from 2000 you would be singing a much different toon because Canada loved you last leader, because he could actually locate Canada on the map. G.W. had never been to Canada before he was elected, we as Canadians cannot tollerate incompatence from our neighbors because their is so much at stake with in our relationship, and the people running your contry have gone compleatly backwards in dealing with our relationship. Because like it or not we are your biggest trading partner and your closest friend.

    Get someone in the Whitehouse that understands what the word diplomacy means, not some red neck president.
  44. J Luft from Calgary, Canada writes: Joe Calgarian from Calgary says 'I know it's not feasible, but it'd be awesome if when they got there a couple of CF-18's just happen to do a low level fly by over top of those ships, kick in the afterburners while they're at it and make all the Ruskie's crap their pants!'

    Yeah, like the Russians have never seen a jet fighter before. I don't think a couple of CF-18's (presuming we have two that are fully operational) would do much to make the 'Ruskie's crap their pants' and my guess is that the Russian airforce (remember them?) would be there as soon as the blips appeared on the radar screens.

    But what I find interesting about the comments is that none of the Bolshevik sympathesizers that haunt this board are making any comments about the Imperialistic Russians after oil. Interesting how that happens, eh?
  45. D McAnn from Canada writes: The burning of fossil fuels is causing global warming which is causing the polar icecaps to melt which will give greater accessibilty to the riches beneath the ice which are more fossil fuels...my head is hurting.
  46. Michael Owens from Canada, Canada writes: A M from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada writes:
    I say send Russia a Message don't mess with Canadians and our territory we have no problem defending it and even the Russian Winter can't make us run away.

    I agree, when I worked in Siberia, the Russians would shut everything down when the temperture fell below -37C. The Canadians, on the other hand worked 24-7, regardless of temperature (even -60 C, when diesel, vodka, and anti-freeze were freezing).

    We weren't allowed to rig out when the temperature got less than -45C, for reasons related to stresses on steel. When the temperature got close to -45C, the Russians would be waiting by the thermometer, hoping to get out of work.

    Of course, the communists would point at the Canadians, and say 'Look what capitalism does! It makes you crazy!', when we kept working. The reality is, we had nothing better to do...
  47. Buck Harvey from Calgary, Canada writes: Who cares what those stupid Ruskies are doing. Their 'country' is falling apart at the seems. The americans have played it smart for a change by letting them rot away over the last 20 years. Ever been to Russia? It's crumbling infastructure and backward mentalities have put them 50 years behind Canada. Most of their subs are barely functional so I expect this flag dropping adventure to end in tragedy. It's the americans we have to protect ourselves against in the arctic.
  48. Country Canada from Canada writes: okay folks don't fear.........give me an a few of my buddies a few cases of beer, a flight ticket up there, and we'll fix them.
  49. Sam M. from Montreal, Canada writes: Terry F from Edmonton, Canada writes: Drop some sonobuoys and ping the h*ll out of them. Let them know that we're onto them. Sure was a good idea stripping the military for quick cash over the last 40 years, wasn't it Libbies? You get what you sow.

    Last 40 years??? The liberals were in power for the last 40 years?

    WOW!!! GOTTA BE THE F-ING DRUGS!!!
  50. Larry Hagman's Liver from transplant, Canada writes: stand up mimi , the answer to ' Where's the icebreakers' - ELIMINATED by years of Liberal neglect - . This is why our pilots periodically die in 40 year old Sea king copters too - so that Cretin could have a photo op slamming his fist - Duma$$ that he was.
  51. J Luft from Calgary, Canada writes: D McAnn says 'The burning of fossil fuels is causing global warming...bla bla.' No, it isn't.
  52. Hugh Draper from Canada writes: This is surely a premise for global warfare.

    'I think that one of the tasks, at least for public consumption, is to put a claim and enlarge our territory...' -Sergei Pryamikov, director of the international department of the St. Petersburg-based institute of Arctic and Antarctic research.
  53. Michael Owens from Canada, Canada writes: Buck Harvey from Calgary, Canada writes: Who cares what those stupid Ruskies are doing. Their 'country' is falling apart at the seems. The americans have played it smart for a change by letting them rot away over the last 20 years. Ever been to Russia? It's crumbling infastructure and backward mentalities have put them 50 years behind Canada. Most of their subs are barely functional so I expect this flag dropping adventure to end in tragedy. It's the americans we have to protect ourselves against in the arctic.

    AGREED
  54. Sam M. from Montreal, Canada writes: Larry Hagman's Liver from transplant, Canada writes: stand up mimi , the answer to ' Where's the icebreakers' - ELIMINATED by years of Liberal neglect - . This is why our pilots periodically die in 40 year old Sea king copters too - so that Cretin could have a photo op slamming his fist - Duma$$ that he was.

    When was the last time we lost someone flying a Sea King? Do you even know? How many people have we lost over 40 years flying the Sea Kings DO YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION?

    I F-ING DOUBT YOU DO!
  55. James Lewis from Whitby, Canada writes: This is a pathetic attempt by Russia to 'claim' the Arctic so they can sell it right back to the west for foodstamps. And how does dropping a capsule with a flag in it on the ocean floor indicate legal ownership of anything? Full steam North right now for any and all ships we have that actually go.
  56. Edmond Dusablon from United States writes: Seems most have forgotten that Norway has territory above 80-deg north latitude so they'll have interests in the Arctic too.

    Buck Harvey -- The paranoids are after you.
  57. Offshore Reg from bridgetown, Barbados writes: calls up visions of that old 'canadian' (Norman Jewison) film....TRAC TRAC.... except they are here
  58. L Berger from Canada writes: Rusky go home. Get the heck out of our area!
  59. Alex Yaxmos from Canada writes: People actaully think Canada can stand up to Russia? That's pretty wishful thinking. Denmark we can take but Russia is in a different league. Canada has very little options to respond to Russia's claim. We simply don't have the resources or man power. We need strong leadership and we need it now but it's too late.
  60. David Reiff from United States writes: Jake -

    Nice try but wrong, regarding Canadian attitudes towards the Americans. Wrong. Before Bush, the 'Death To America!!' chants emanating from Canada regarded our supposed attempts to acquire Canadian water, our not buying enough softwood lumber from Canada, not buying PEI potatoes, working on missile defense systems, being 'fat and arrogant',exporting weapons across the border, deserving what we got with the WTC bomb attack in '93, US embassies in Africa in '98, USS Cole in 2000, etc.

    Vicious anti-Americanism is a disease in Canada which will have long term implications for Canada and Canadians. Canadians don't seem to realize that at this point, the feeling is mutual. Someday, you might need us for something, like support in the arctic dispute, and we may not be there for you.
  61. Reefer Sutherland from The Big Smoke, Canada writes: And the resource wars expand from the Middle East to the North Pole. Conflict over resources, and more specifically oil, will become more and more common as we continue to use up the last of a finite supply of oil on this planet. It truly is a sad testament to the level of greed humans will stoop to. Instead of conserving and wisely using the remainder of a precious gift, we squander it on military conflict, wasteful modes of transportation, and a throw-away lifestyle. Shameful.
  62. green grass from somewhere, Canada writes: i really don't know what the fuss is all about. like a earlier poster remarked; who in his or her right mind is going to invest a single rubel in the ruskies oil industrie , you got to be nuts. think yukos and kursk. like our earlier poster ex-ruskie said ; ontheir scientific research vessels you'l be hard pressed to find a legit scientist. so don't worry and besides which one of you intellectuals has real proof of all that oil that is supposed to be up there. now here is an idea that might save us hard-done-by taxpayers a pile of money. what we'l do ; we get a master-carpenter built us a scaled down replica of our great house on the hill, have it bolted down on half a dozen pontoons left over from the second world war and tow this out onto the ice in a location where we expect the ruskies to pop their heads through the ice and bingo! they see our parliament building with an oversized canadian flag on it and they'l be gone ; never to return again!! saves us building a bunch icebreaker-patrol boats eh? eh? eh?.......
  63. Gordon Biddy from Vancouver, Canada writes: Go Russia! And people thought there were no more New Frontiers in this day and age here on Earth...

    Canadians have always had and continue to have our heads sooo far down in the sand, that as usual, we're oblivious to what's been going on in our back yard.

    Pathetic. We don't deserve a country, we really don't. We keep electing officials and politicians that are not worthy of leading, only administering. The only thing keeping this nation 'together' is apathy: always has been, always will. No backbone.

    Building icebreakers and arctic patrol ships now is about 15 years too late. We sat back, watching the world move, and, as usual, now we whine about the actions of others while ignoring our own inaction.

    Russia's oil wealth? What about Canada's? See the difference: Russia spends theirs on expanding their nation (whether anyone likes it or not) and we spend ours on fighting to ensure Muslim women can become feminists like so many Canadian lasses (this of course is a strategy to reduce Muslim populations the world over by reducing their birthrate to a level below sustainability, like our post-feminism birthrate). Excellent.

    No, we have no right to say anything but 'Welcome to the Arctic, eh. It's been right here, under our nose for decades, and we've done absolutely NOTHING to keep it and even less to DESERVE it. So, it's all yours.'

    The more Canadians whine about this, the more my opinion of those Canadians as some of the worst hypocrites the world has ever seen--en masse-is confirmed.

    We should welcome Russia, work with them, deal directly with them as a nation in our own right, rather than clinging to the suit-sleeve of some slick Yankee politician.

    But we won't.
  64. Larry Hagman's Liver from transplant, Canada writes: Sam M. - you must be Cretin's kissing cousin or something , because you are WAAAY to upset about the Sea King debacle .Use your free hand to Google and you will find more accidents and tragedies than you can count, costing many Canadian lives.
    I would list some of them myself, but I don't need to do your work for you, and you are just an excitable Lib hack anyways.
    ANYONE who reads newspapers can tell you that these accidents are regular, and that Cretin thought he was a tough guy cancelling the contract .
  65. Laura Taman from Toronto, Canada writes: Attacking a nation with ten times Canada's population, a huge, well armed military and a violent PM may not be as good an idea as many of you seem to think it is. Please note that the Russians are working up a claim based on international law. After Bush, the US may once again recognize such niceties as the treaties they've signed. So there is some hope that Arctic resources can be negotiated in the usual slow and dull diplomatic fashion that produced the Law of the Sea Treaty. That is the way middle powers survive hungry giants.
  66. FLUVIAL SEDIMENT from Canada writes: Well whaddaya know, in the end it comes right back to the US vs Russia. Canada, Greenland etc. just aren't going to be players because none of us are big enough to fight with the big boys.
  67. green grass from somewhere, Canada writes: i hear they are also dropping a case of vodka up there, now that's a disgrace....eh?......eh?
  68. Larry Robinson from white Rock, Canada writes: Conflict over resources? Who'd have thunk it?

    My education on Darfur/oil/China this morning and now this.

    Maybe that knocking down the iron curtain and ping pong diplomacy were not such great ideas.

    Nixon and Reagan were closet pinko's allowing China and Russia to take over.

    I need some sun.
  69. george lawrence from Land of the Sleeping Giant, Canada writes: Hey,whats going on here ,Somebody sent out the Navy.Ooops sorry,Canada really doesn't have a navy,to speak of, do we,thanks in part to years of Liberal and Red Tory Neglect.You remember ,dont you,former pm Chretien back a few years ago when asked what about Additional money for the military,and his comment 'There's not much of a return in spending any money on the Military'.very typical of the Liberal approach to the military. Now we have the few remaining Liberal supporters crying out WHERE'S THE ICE BREAKERS' as if these multi-million dollar craft can be build over-night.Where were they a decade or so ago.when it became very clear to everyone including the then PM that our Military including the Navy was in dire need of equipment and manpower.This current government is the first government in many decades to begin the long process,and its going to take a while to rebuild .not only our Navy,but AirForce and Army as well. God Help us,if the liberals ever get back into office until this task is completed in a decade or so.because quit frankly the Socialists and Liberals have no intention of spending any large amounts of money on the Military.Who.s going to attack Canada or Canadian Citizens and nobody is going to lay claim to our Territory in the far North,ARE THEY?
  70. Grant Samuel from Canada writes:

    Relax everybody it's only the north pole. When this all shakes out all the northern countries will converge at the pole. It will look something like this Denmark 0 to 60 degrees west, Canada 60W to 141W, USA 141W to 170W, Russia 170W to 35E and Norway 35E to 0.

    However we need to rebuild our icebreaker fleet and a Arctic class science fleet and encourage industry to build their own heavy icebreakers. Not these 'mickey mouse war ships 'The Harpy' is advocating.
  71. The Religious Left from Canada writes:
    I know how to solve this. Just carefully explain to the Russians that this is the fault of your least favourite political party and could they please acknowledge our territorial rights. I'm sure they'll understand.
  72. Urmom Isatramp from Canada writes: I am not worried about the Arctic, it is way too cold anyway.
  73. Alistair McLaughlin from Ottawa, Canada writes: First of all, let's get one thing straight. The North Pole is NOT part of Canada. Canada has NEVER claimed the North Pole. So for those of you saying we should be there vying with the Russians for territory, wake up. Yes, we do need a presence in the Arctic. And Harper has raised this issue for the first time since Mulroney's plan to buy nuclear subs was cancelled by Chretien. But Canada has always considered the North Pole to be in international waters. Russia's claim is bogus, and won't be recognized by anyone other than maybe Belarus.
  74. Prairie Boy from Canada writes: C'mon you can do better with bait like this. How about Maple Leaf hockey sweaters for the polar bears? Not those Maple Leafs, the red ones, the ones that win.

    Ok you GreenPeacers start the fittings.
  75. Grant Samuel from Canada writes:

    David Reiff from United States writes: Vicious anti-Americanism is a disease in Canada which will have long term implications for Canada and Canadians. Canadians don't seem to realize that at this point, the feeling is mutual. Someday, you might need us for something, like support in the arctic dispute, and we may not be there for you.

    David Canada's biggest problem in the Arctic is the USA. US nautical charts show the Alaska/Yukon border coming offshore at 90 degrees to the shoreline encroaching on the Canadian offshore. Canadian charts show the border as a continuation of the established 141W longitude. The USA does not recognize the NW passage as internal waters of Canada. All northern countries show converge at the pole.
  76. OK from Ontario from Toronto, Canada writes: Time to clear muddy waters. Yes Russia has the largest population of permanent dwellers north of the Artic Circle. The 3 main claimants for the GEOGRAPHIC North Pole are - Denmark (controls Spitzbergen and Greenland), Russia, still the worlds largest country, Canada and the USA (Alaska). Because it is covered in glaciers, no one is sure whether Greenland is one island or an archipeligo, like the Queen Elizabeth Islands (Canada). It is a toss up as to what island is the furtherest north. Ellesmere Island, with a permanent Canadian Forces Base (Alert - permanent although much smaller after the end of the cold war), makes a good claim. Exclusive Economic Zones extend 200 nautical miles out from your land, although following the rule of Archipeligos you might be able to extend your baseline. If no one has land within 200nm of the north pole, then guess what? IT IS INTERNATIONAL WATERS AND NO ONE CAN CLAIM IT!. Otherwise we'll have to hash it out between people with bonafide land claims that are close to the areas. There is no dispute as to who owns Ellesemere Island. If you look at a map of the eastern seaboard, you'll see that Canada owns most of Georges Bank and a large part of Brown Bank, south of NewBrunswick off the coast of Maine. It takes years of multinational meetings and treaties to arrange something like that. I don't think Russia has a leg to stand on, as it's land masses are quite a bit further south than Denmark and Canada's claims.
  77. Grant Samuel from Canada writes:

    David Reiff on other point the USA has only three Arctic class vessels, Polar Sea and Polar Star both white elephants from the day they were launched and the Healy a fine vessel in its own right.
  78. Alistair McLaughlin from Ottawa, Canada writes: Sam M, are you suggesting no one has died in Sea King crashes since 1996? (That was the year the EH-101s Mulroney ordered were to have replaced the Sea King fleet.) You need to do a little bit of homework before mouthing off. I don't know exacly how many fatalities there have been in the past decade, but I do know there have been several fatal crashes since 1996 involving Sea Kings. The pilots that fly them don't call them 'flying coffins' for nothing.
  79. Apples Oranges from (not so new) New York, United States writes: Blame America. Blame George Bush.
  80. Michael Jahonneson from Vancovuer, Canada writes: No penguin blood for oil!

    _____

    /removing tinfoil hat, man-burqa and large bag of weed from my Che placemat
  81. f c from Canada writes: Thanks OK from Ontario...saved me a question!

    The real concern then is having a corrupt country like Russia up there with their old ships and subs and the potential for a Nuclear Accident and further pollution that could affect our North.

    I hope somebody, whether it's Canada or the U.S. will do something about this before the damage is done!
  82. Leon Russell from Gatineau, Canada writes: Rick Drysdale from Calgary, Canada writes: 'Does anyone know which north pole this article is about.

    The magnetic or geographic?'

    Typical, everybody getting their knickers in a knot without knowing for sure if this concerns Canada or not.

    Hopefully before it becomes anywhere near profitable to try to exploit the resources of (whichever) North Pole, the burning of fossil fuels will have been outlawed due to GWH concerns.
  83. Leon Russell from Canada writes: Whoops I mean GHG concerns.
  84. Let me tell You How It Is-THE EXPERT from Seattle, Washington, United States writes: I like all the greedy Canadians claiming the arctic is theirs. Whatever gave you that idea? Did you learn that in school or something? Well we know all about Canadian schools and how bad they are in the teaching of history. For example that recent Dominion Institute poll that revealed that only 8% of Canadians know their Head of State is the Queen. Canadian schools are a joke.
    Another Trudeau legacy coming back to haunt Canadians. You can thank him for decimating your military and Coast Guard and creating this culture of ridiculing and looking down on the men and women who serve your country. The very people that you ask to claim 'your' Arctic. Canadians are so egocentric and selfish, maybe the kids in Alaska, Greenland, Iceland, Russia, Norway are taught that the Arctic is theirs as well.
    Is can just see the Inuit annoyed and perplexed by all these greedy Canadians thinking the Inuit and Arctic lands belong to them.
    Just stick with what Canadians know how to do well that is complain and moan and groan about everyone and everything in the world except themselves causing problems.
  85. Michael Jahonneson from Vancovuer, Canada writes: If I were America, I'd do a quid pro quo with Russia. Forget about Iran, Russia, and we let you have the North Pole. Then all the screaming anti_american types here will have something to shriek about. Then it becomes put up or shut up. We either defend ourselves and grow up or lose our Nothern frontier. It is a win-win for Russia and America. But, alas, we can't defend our borders without America's help and we will never forfeit our nanny state for silly things like defense. The ironies are spledid.
  86. Grant Samuel from Canada writes:

    Apples Oranges from (not so new) New York, United States writes: Blame America. Blame George Bush.

    AO I have no idea what your point is but you are making more sense than most of your fellow Bush supporters. Keep up the good work.
  87. dray Frazer from Vancouver, Canada writes: Clever, these Russians. They know that the folk in Ottawa look at a MAP of CANADA, and don't see anything threatening above it.

    A bit like the Yanks and the 49th, who until fairly recently brought snowshoes and sleighs for their summer vacations in the FROZEN NORTH.

    If our elected, (and we certainly deserve what we got) politicians ever looked at a globe, they might just discover Russia is pretty close to Northern Canada.

    Few today even know there was a DEW Line. 'Distant Early Warning'. This was built on Canadian Soil to detect Russian Missiles, so they could be shot down over Canada, before they got to the USA.

    The ICE is melting because we are burning trillions of gallons of oil. So the advanced, intelligent nations of the world, want to find more to burn.

    It is already too late.
  88. Grant Samuel from Canada writes:

    Leon Russell

    It's the geographic
  89. Mathew Allen from ..., writes: Why don't we just claim a large part of the North Atlantic?
  90. Prairie Boy from Canada writes: David Reiff. I agree in part with what you say but don't confuse the west with the east. Most westerners have way more in common with the US than we do with Ottawa. And to be frank, they don't seem to like us any more than they like you.
  91. Michael Jahonneson from Vancovuer, Canada writes: Putin knows how anti-war Canadians are. The Russian intelligence services might be a bit rusty but they are not morons. Putin knows that no matter what the Russian state does with the North Pole, Canada will NEVER do anything other than whine a little bit. From Putin's perspective. this is a win-win. I vaguely remember something called game theory from my university days. Just think how our weakness boosts his government's polling data!
  92. Larry Robinson from white Rock, Canada writes: Leon R gets the funniest comment of the day baggie.

    'Hopefully before it becomes anywhere near profitable to try to exploit the resources of (whichever) North Pole, the burning of fossil fuels will have been outlawed due to GWH concerns.'
  93. Terry F from Edmonton, Canada writes: Sam M - the Libbies were in power for most of the last 40 years and did nothing but cut the CF. Where have you been, Poindexter?
  94. Michael Jahonneson from Vancovuer, Canada writes: Larry Robinson from white Rock, Canada writes: Leon R gets the funniest comment of the day baggie.

    'Hopefully before it becomes anywhere near profitable to try to exploit the resources of (whichever) North Pole, the burning of fossil fuels will have been outlawed due to GWH concerns.'

    ____

    That is hilarious. It makes me want to cry. Of laughter.

    /evil ChenyHalliburton laugh mode off
  95. J S from Alberta, Canada writes: It would have been nice to be a little proactive for once because we've seen this as a potential issue for many years. It is the Canadian way to think about, discuss, debate, let it go for a while, get a new government in, then repeat cycle. The problem is not Liberal or Conservative.... it's our political system. Russia is still a little unhappy about giving away Alaska. They will do what it takes to claim the North. Will we?
  96. Paul, Bytown, from Canada writes: With the US military stretched so thin, the Russians are having a blast and thumbing their noses at the US around the world.

    But don't worry, the western nations will fight back with their best weapon... propaganda through it's controlled puppets...uh I mean media.
  97. J Luft from Calgary, Canada writes: dray Frazer from Vancouver says 'The ICE is melting because we are burning trillions of gallons of oil.' No it isn't. It is melting because of natural changes in the climate.
  98. M Horon from Calgary, Canada writes: This move redefines the meaning of Cold War. By the time this symbolic act is produces any type of result our children will all be long dead. The world is still fighting over the thawing North West Passage. These waters will all end up the domain of international treaty. I remember when we used to blame the weather on the Russians. Only the paranoid and delusioned (and maybe a few liberals) would feel threatened by this move. The Americans put a flag on the moon in the 1960's. I'll bet we see a moon base generations before we see oil rigs at the pole.
  99. Austin Powers from Canada writes: As others have pointed out, the North Pole (geographic) is in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, 750 km North of Ellesmere Island. Therefore, Canada has no legitimate claim to the pole as territorial waters.

    Once the ice cover on the Arctic Ocean melts, I doubt the US (of whoever else has the dominant blue water navy in 50-100 years time - the Chinese?) would allow the Arctic Ocean to be considered anything else but open seas.
  100. Pafko Wall from Canada writes: Haywood Jablowme from Canada writes: What a country Canada has become... The Russians are laying claim to Canadian soil and all we do is stand by and welcome them. What a joke.

    Hold on a sec here ... the North Pole is NOT Canadian territory. That's a misconc