Wednesday August 19, 2009, 3:11 am
In 2007, the stakes were raised considerably when Russia launched a naval manoeuvre designed to plant an actual Russian flag, in a titanium capsule, at the base of the North Pole, 4,200 metres below sea level.

Russia's game plan was to extend its territory almost up to the Pole itself, to claim the vast mineral and energy resources many feel lie underneath the Arctic ice.

The North Pole is considered an international site and is administered by the International Seabed Authority. But if a country can prove its underwater shelf is an extension of its continental border, then it can claim an economic zone based on that.

And that's what Russia is doing by systematically charting the reach of its Lomonosov underwater shelf. As a spokesman for its Arctic and Antarctic Institute said, "It's like putting a flag on the moon."

For Canadians, of course, this is more like waving a red flag in front of a bull.

Visit site for more....

Wednesday August 19, 2009, 3:46 am
Thanks Karen. There should be a treaty to preserve the Artic! otherwise there might be some bad scrimmaging up there one of these days if money gets folks' back up and relegates the enviornment to way bakstage!.

Wednesday August 19, 2009, 7:04 am
Thanks Karen, and also Michele...there should be a "Preserve the Artic"!

Please visit site...very interesting.

FRANKLY MANKIND SHOULD LEAVE THIS TOTALLY ALONE, THEY NEED TO FORGET ABOUT EVEN GOING THERE PERIOD.

ONCE YOU SEE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL, THEN MAN GETS INVOLVED, WELL, UMMMM LET'S SEE WHAT CAN WE PROFIT FROM THIS -- NOW EVERYONE WANTS A PIECE OF THIS PIE...WELL SORRY GUYS THIS PIE IS READY TO FLOAT AWAY AND TAKE WITH IT ALL OF THE WILDLIFE - BEAUTY ETC THAT ONCE WAS THERE.

GREAT ARTICLE AT THE SITE...LONG READ BUT VERY INFORMATIVE.

Wednesday August 19, 2009, 7:16 am
Thank you Karen.

Wednesday August 19, 2009, 7:23 am
There will be a real show down in the future between all of the nations on the border of the Arctic. I foresee hostilities between these nations unfortunately,

Wednesday August 19, 2009, 9:47 am
Stephen Haper's motives are pretty see-through here. He's on a tour of the north right now flexing his muscles for the rest of the world to see and sweet-talking the northern residents. I'm pretty sure his intentions aren't to preserve an environment, but to assert some perceived right to exploit it.

Wednesday August 19, 2009, 9:48 am
Oops......keyboarding error.....can't spell Harper!

Wednesday August 19, 2009, 10:25 am
Oh no not another fighting, bickering and then war again. Don't like the sound of this at all. Even if no fighting occurs it would not help the earth any if they are going in to get the minerals etc. This poor earth can't take anymore. Thanks Karen

Thursday August 20, 2009, 3:24 pm
the usa and canada are peaceful. i'm not sure of russia's motives.

Thursday August 20, 2009, 7:34 pm
it's ours and we should keep it by what ever means be necessary! notice no one really wanted it till the ice started to melt! thanks Karen

Friday August 21, 2009, 2:42 am
I agree, David, that Canada has some rights in the Arctic that we should assert, but I'm concerned about what we want to do with it. Harper is rubbing his hands, gleefully, not at the new opportunity to protect the Oceans in the Arctic, but to exploit them for resources. He has been courting the Inuit this week, offering them benefits they were already being cheated out of and making them look like gifts. We have a strong Native presence in Canada and I hope Harper will respect their rights when he starts moving those oil platforms into the ocean.

Friday August 21, 2009, 6:32 am
Land and mineral wars = power and gold to the victor. I'm so tired of this dangerous, ill use of testosterone. It's destroying the planet. I'll be glad when the aliens arrive.

You mean they're already here?

Saturday August 29, 2009, 3:53 pm
the last frontier,i doin't know it sound's dangerous to me,last week harrper up in the arctic trying to flex muscels that canada realy hassent got,if it came down to it russia could take outr canada's navy in 2 hour's,the only reason harpper is doing this is because the states has a lot of influence in the region also as do other country's.what did harpper say" use it or lose it"what an idiot that is something a sixteen year old kid would say,who voted for these assholes yes and not to forget we have another one in bc also.

Saturday August 29, 2009, 4:02 pm
Actually, NO ONE SHOULD "OWN" the ARTIC in my humble opinion, it should be kept like it was meant to be.

The fact that they are fighting over this area is truly a sad event, and also, the fact that they have totally distroyed it really hurts me to no end.

This was the most beautiful area around, home to a lot of beautiful creatures, now, the entire area is under attack and the creatures are losing their home and dying.

What are they trying to fight over??? RUIN???