'Who's guarding our back door?�

Canada needs to build bases, not just one or two, but several bases on our norther shores.

I think we should also populate the region by giving new immigrants the opportunity to populate the region.

This is pissing me off, "Danish government sent a frigate to Hans Island to erect a flag and lay down a plaque claiming ownership of the tiny, barren island, which Canada had already claimed"

If we already took claim over this, then why the heck are the Danish planting there flag on it. The arrogance of some country's. There are only three countries that should ONLY be allowed to be in the running for claiming the artic.

1. Canada
2. Great Britain
3. America

All three are the closest to it, Canada expecially. I mean how do countries that are at the very oppasit end of the artic expect to own something so far away? That will be more then difficult, Canada though has more experience with the North, and the Artic. If anybody should get the artic it should be Canada. Though this whole defense thing is a problem. Not only for Canada's defense, but for claiming the artic. If we can't defend Canada from the artic oceans, theres no telling what people can smuggle in. Weapons? There goes Canada's low gun death stats, and low violence numbers.

Also if we can't show everybody that Canada can defend the artic, then Canada will not get claim over the artic.

Can't really see why the British or Americans would have a more legit claim than Denmark to Hans Island or anything else in the Arctic.

Isn't Hans Island the little Island just off the coast of Greenland, and aren't Canada and Denmark (to which Greenland belongs) fighting over that little piece of rock?

What do GB or the US have to do with any of this???

I have the solution for Hans Island though... Just do the same as Greece and Turkey did with Cyprus... Just give every country half of it, and live happily ever after

Alaska works, not because of funding for US military bases but because of the petrochemical industry. Northern Canada needs a local population to have a presence and only a local industry will let that happen. Paying immigrants to live up north is not a realistic solution.

Bacardi4206, Greenland is a territory of Denmark. Hans Island is a tiny speck of rock without even a single blade of grass. However, it's between Greenland and Ellesmere Island, Canada's northern most island. Both countries claimed the equidistant line between Greenland and Ellesmere is the border. Based on 19th century surveys, Canada claimed the line placed Hans Island on the Canadian side, Denmark claimed it's on there side. Modern satellite digital images shows the equidistant line runs right down the middle. So actually Brenda is exactly right.

Denmark planted a flag, supported by a bunch of rocks since they couldn't stick a flag pole into the frozen ground. They also buried a bottle cognac in those rocks with a note from the Danish minister for Greenland welcoming visitors to their territory. I thought that was classy. Our guys planted a Canadian flag but they didn't leave a bottle of Crown Royal. So Greenland one-upped us with hospitality. Good for them. The good news is he Danish flag happens to be on their side of the line the satellite found, and the Canadian flag is on our side. So fine, it's done. Let's all have a drink.

Churchill has an airport specifically constructed to service American B-52 bombers. It could easily handle the Russian IL-76 cargo plane. Russia wants to establish a regular trade route between Murmansk and Churchill, everyone in Manitoba welcomes the business. Trade with Russia through Churchill is a good thing. One of the initiatives already announced is to improve the port of Churchill to handle trade from Russia. Customs inspection will be done in Winnipeg, but officials in Churchill will clamp a seal on containers before they're sent via rail to Winnipeg. The scare tactics of this reporter just underscore the need for that port's upgrade.

Our CF-18 fighers have already conducted exercised in northern communities. I believe they've been to Churchill and Resolute. Elsewhere on this board I said we need a permanent squad or wing of CF-18s based at Resolute. Do you know how far a CF-18 can fly?

If customs is the concern, the government is already buying UAVs to patrol the arctic, and we have coast guard icebreakers ships up there, each with at least one helicopter.

Boy, do you need a geography lesson.

If you're excluding Denmark because Denmark proper doesn't touch the Arctic Circle, then by that logic, America shouldn't be on that list either because of Alaska.

In terms of who SHOULD have ownership of the Arctic, no matter what you say, Russia is entitled to at least part of the Arctic Circle. As are Norway, Iceland, Sweden, and even Finland. All of which could easily be considered Arctic/Cold Climate Countries.

And Britain?! WTF?!

Some Canadian you are, it's Canada's alone.

I hate to say it, but no, it's not.

There's going to be a Cold War over the Arctic. I will be rooting for Canada all the way, but pretty much any nation that has territory that surpasses the Arctic Circle, has a claim to the Arctic; ESPECIALLY those who have clear water boundaries and the technology to deal with the Arctic Ice.

By that definition, Canada, Denmark, Russia, America, Norway and Iceland would be entitled to the vast resources of the Arctic Ocean.

Rooting ?

Yeah that's what "Canadians" do.

of course not exiling them by gun point is

of course not exiling them by gun point is

Hey, WTF did I do?