Hands off our Arctic, Canada tells Europeans

Absolutly. The Artic belongs to Canada. That is a message to the US, Russia and Europe.

Not all of the Artic but the portion that is within our borders certainly belongs to us, and until such a time as the Northwest Passage can be transitted without the need of assistance it damn well belongs to us also!!!!

An arctic nation yes, a power, nope.

We only have 2 real opions. We pretend it's a park and hope the rest of the world respects that or we open it up to well regulated industry and have people live there.

Either way, we need a military that can operate up there 365 days a year, not just when the weather is nice. And that means in the air, the water and on the land.

The Rangers are a good first step. Now let's get some real ships and planes up there on a regular basis.

I say we open it up to drilling, mining or whatever, and have normal people living and working up there all the time, not just soldiers.

Has the US made any claims to the Arctic? I haven't heard anything through my limited media outlets.

I do know the Yanks keep on saying the Northwest Passage is an international waterway, and I believe they keep getting caught using it as such. Also right along the border - is that the Beaufort? There's a dispute on how much of that is whose.

Well feel free to pick a fight with Russia. I'll vote to back you up. Just don't get in a fight with Israel for the icy north.

Wait, I think I figured out a real two-state solution!

Northern tip of Ellesmere Island as new Palestinian homeland?

With what the Israelis have done with Israel/Palestine/Canaan/the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea, I was thinking we could set them on turning the place into a profitable, popular winter resort, but your idea is good too.

Well, really it's about time we had a airmobile and arctic ready battalion based up there 365. It would also be nice if those CF18's stopped protecting the St Lawrence and actually were based somewhere near a threat. I know Khandahar is too hot for them but an nice bit of northern Canada should be something they can handle.

My guess is the Russians are much more interested in developing their north than they are in trying to take ours and try and develop it with constant harassment from Canada, the US and etc.

No, those jolly Russians have no designs on our Arctic. That's why they said they would maybe go to war in the next 10 years about it comrade Wada.