Russia planting it's flag on the Arctic Ocean's floor

[jawapunk]

Recently Russia planted its flag on the bottom of the Ocean in the arctic. This brings concerns for Canadian rights to the area as well as what may be a resource rich area.

What are your opinions on this recent act, do we as Canadians have what it takes to stave off Russia from either taking land/area from us?

Another question is why are we in Afghanistan if we can't protect our own regional interests?

[jawapunk]

Here are some links of articles if you don't know what I am talking about:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/russia/article/0,,2140202,00.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6927395.stm

Here is video:

http://www.reuters.com/news/video/videoStory?videoId=62580

[White Doors]

Why would you care if you want NFLD to seperate?

Why refer to 'we' when you don't want to be in Canada?

consistency please!

[jawapunk]

Well, I looked at a map and saw that NFLD is actually part of Canada still! WOW THAT MAKES ME A CANADIAN! In the English language, the collective pronoun is WE!

This doesn't have anything to do with the topic though.

Edited August 7, 2007 by jawapunk

[White Doors]

Well, I looked at a map and saw that NFLD is actually part of Canada still! WOW THAT MAKES ME A CANADIAN! In the English language, the collective pronoun is WE!

This doesn't have anything to do with the topic though.

just pointing out your hypocricy.

if it makes sense in your head, then all the power to ya.

[jawapunk]

Hopefully someone has something intelligent to bring to this topic instead of trying to stoke some kind of flame war.

I have stated that I am for separation because there have been many drawbacks since confederation, but I also realize that this is not the reality and in all likelihood will not be. I am not a voting/active separatist nor do I profess to be one. What I did say however was actaully on topic because we were discussing the unity of the country etc... I am not sure what that post has to do with Russia placing a flag at the bottom of the Ocean or our country's reaction to it.

I also realize that within the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, I as a Canadian can have freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication. So basically you can shove your hypocrisy where it is probably loose.

Again, should our government do anything regarding this militarily? And if we can't patrol our northern frontiers to protect from this, should we be involved in a foreign war such as Afghanistan?

[M.Dancer]

Yes, lets flee from our international responsibilities to defend the arctic sea floor from Russian litterbugs.

[White Doors]

I also realize that within the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, I as a Canadian can have freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication. So basically you can shove your hypocrisy where it is probably loose.

I too am afforded these rights so be prepared to be called a hypocrite when you are acting in a manner that hypocrites do.

tata

[Bonam]

Recently Russia planted its flag on the bottom of the Ocean in the arctic. This brings concerns for Canadian rights to the area as well as what may be a resource rich area.

What are your opinions on this recent act, do we as Canadians have what it takes to stave off Russia from either taking land/area from us?

The new Russian claim in the arctic does not include any territory that presently belongs to Canada, as far as I know. So, at this point, they're not taking the land from "us".

[AngusThermopyle]

In answer to the question. No, We do not have the capabilities to assert our sovereignty against a world power. A positive start is the contract for the new patrol vessels. At least we'll be sort of visible with them. As for who has a legitimate claim to these area's I don't really know. After all, that really is the problem, no body knows. It truly is the last frontier on this planet.

What i do know is that it's extremely rich in resources that we need (and in many circumstances require) as does everyone else. i can see this shaping up to be the next territorial dispute that will be hotly contested by the polar nations of the world. Not that the USA is a polar nation but I'm sure they'll need a big part of that particular pie.

[buffycat]

Pfffft....

Reuters image of Russian sub claiming North Pole was scene from film "Titanic"

[M.Dancer]

Pfffft....

Reuters image of Russian sub claiming North Pole was scene from film "Titanic"

Reuters is notorious for distibuting misleading photos or allowing it self to be used as a propaganda outlet. Just look at their covergage of the Israeli attempt to destoy ezbollahs capacity to terrorize northen Israel. They were led around like a bull with a ring in its nose being shown obviously staged and faked events which then were published internationally.

[scribblet]

Norway and Denmark are in on this too, making claims. Looks like Canada has it's work cut out for a while, this could end up with the UN deciding. If they decide it's not Canadian then what?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/oil/story/0,,2146728,00.html

No country owns the Arctic Ocean and north pole, but there are international laws governing its use. Under one UN convention, each country with a coast has sole exploitation rights in a limited "exclusive economic zone", beyond which mineral resources are controlled by the International Seabed Authority. However, upon ratification of the UN convention, each country was given a 10-year period within which to make claims to extend its zone. Norway (ratified in 1996), Russia (1997), Canada (2003), and Denmark (2004) have all launched claims that certain Arctic sectors should belong to their territories.

The UN's ruling on these submissions will determine who gets the right to extract the Arctic's huge reserves of oil and gas, estimated at 10bn tonnes. cont....

Here's the link about Denmark http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6941134.stm

The month-long Danish expedition will study the Lomonosov Ridge. Russia believes the underwater feature is linked to its territory.

Denmark will investigate the ridge to see if it is geologically connected to Greenland, a Danish territory.

Canada, Norway and the US also have claims in the Arctic.

Edited August 11, 2007 by scriblett

[capricorn]

This is what Eric Margolis says should be done with the disputed areas:

Regions in which maritime exclusion zones overlap -- such as off Greenland, the Bering Strait, Norway's Savalbard, Russia's Franz Josef Land, Greek and Turkish Aegean islands, the South China Seas' contested Paracel and Spratly islands -- should also become UN-run special economic zones and, like Antarctica, international territory.

It's called sharing, a grown-up way to resolve global resource disputes.

http://www.torontosun.com/News/Columnists/...395341-sun.html

There is already existing international law to oversee these disputes. I guess Margolis thinks such legislation is not "grown-up" enough.

I would be leery of placing arctic resources in the hands of a body that gave us "food for oil" and all the corruption that followed.

[B. Max]

I would be leery of placing arctic resources in the hands of a body that gave us "food for oil" and all the corruption that followed.

I wouldn't let the cesspool of corruption have anything to do with it.

[Jerry Galinda]

Recently Russia planted its flag on the bottom of the Ocean in the arctic. This brings concerns for Canadian rights to the area as well as what may be a resource rich area.

What are your opinions on this recent act, do we as Canadians have what it takes to stave off Russia from either taking land/area from us?

Another question is why are we in Afghanistan if we can't protect our own regional interests?

I haven't profound knowledge about this problem - but -I'm convinced that it's a Russian imperialistic way of thinking .

"Another question is why are we in Afghanistan if we can't protect our own regional interests?"

Afghanistan it's a part of domino. Middle Eastern domino. From what I remember - Saudi Arabia it's the most important source of oil to the USA.Talibans try to destroy - especially - Saudia Arabia.

[southerncomfort]

This is heating up the U.S. is on it's way there now, who's up next.

[Topaz]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/...,604338,00.html

[Progressive Tory]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/...,604338,00.html

It's all about oil....again!

[eyeball]

So...let me get this straight, the Arctic is going to be a BIG ISSUE that we need to spend billions and possibly trillions of the public's money to address and the foundation for this belief is that climate science says the Arctic is melting.

What was all that stuff about a culture of alarmism, the manipulation of science and public funding again?

[olp1fan]

There is a pic of the model in the article... we should be making these all over the arctic! what a great idea

hows Harper going to top this?

http://rt.com/news/arctic-lead-cold-war-667/

Russia has all but approved an $8 billion plan to build the first-ever city with an artificial climate, as the country steps up to conquer the planet’s frozen wastes with its vast resources, and says the Moon and Mars will be next.

­Named after Umka – a popular late Soviet-era bear cub cartoon hero – the proposed city is to be built on the remote island of Kotelny, in the Novosibirsk archipelago.

Situated a meager 1,000 miles off the North Pole, it has been called one of the least hospitable regions of the Earth, with summer temperatures rarely rising above freezing, while plunging in winter as low as -40 C.

The initial population is planned to be just 5,000, most of whom will be scientists and workers involved in the extraction and transport of vast oil and gas riches of the underwater Lomonosov Ridge.

“The city will not only be an extraction site and a transport hub, but a place for comfortable living. We want people not to realize they are in some closed space with an aggressive Arctic climate outside. So we aim to have scientific laboratories, houses, but also parks with attractions, an aqua complex, hotels, schools, kindergartens, recreation zones, a hospital, sport facilities, and a cathedral,” architect Valery Rzhevskiy says.

The initial population is planned to be just 5,000

­Initially it will get electricity from a pair of floating nuclear power stations which will shut down as the hydrocarbon extraction comes onstream. Fish and poultry farms, greenhouses and bakeries will take care of the food supplies, while the garbage will be processed in two factories.

So far, this is the first project of such a scale with artificial climate and integral life support in the history of humankind. Its design is essentially based on the International Space Station (though much larger – 1.5x0.8 km), with a core transport axis that connects living quarters and laboratories.

And Rzhevsky affirms that towns like Umka would be perfectly viable on the Moon or anywhere else.

The project is on the brink of approval by the Russian government, and will be presented to other members of the Arctic Five – Denmark, Canada, Norway, and the United States – who may want to build similar cities themselves.

Edited November 2, 2011 by olp1fan

[GostHacked]

Floating nuclear plants?? No thanks.

[guyser]

Woot! Should've called it Pauly Shore returns in Bio-Sphere II

I predict a бедствие ......disaster to those who do not speak or read Russian

[olp1fan]

Floating nuclear plants?? No thanks.

why not? no tsunamis up there

[wyly]

Situated a meager 1,000 miles off the North Pole, it has been called one of the least hospitable regions of the Earth, with summer temperatures rarely rising above freezing, while plunging in winter as low as -40 C.

because I like to nit pick ...as it's ice free in the summer most days must be above freezing...and -40c and colder was common in central saskatchewan when I lived there... Edited October 25, 2011 by wyly