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There might be oil, but it's way too expensive to even look for right now. The real issue is shipping routes. Climate change could make the little bit of ocean into a viable trade route, with all the benefits that go along with that.

   

Okay kids, let's get the moose-launchers out... if we can hit their Lego factories, their morale is finished.

   

OMG i just about fell off my chair laughing. Really this Canadian likes to be able to visit Denmark & drink their beer in peace!

http://www.canada.com/national/national ... 91c45a41ae
Final stab in ice ends sovereignty mission
14-day arctic trek

Adrian Humphreys
National Post


Thursday, April 15, 2004
Three metal plaques declaring Canada's dominance over its remote Arctic islands have been hammered into the snow and ice as the longest sovereignty patrol by Canada's military finally completed its tortuous journey to Alert yesterday.

The 14-day trek by snowmobile, which travelled almost 1,800 kilometres through -40 C temperatures in a twisting route around ice blockades and impassable gorges, was designed to bolster Canada's diminishing claim to its remote Arctic territory.

"The mission I was given -- to conduct a sovereignty patrol -- was successful. We have proven that we are Arctic tough and Arctic capable," said Major Stewart Gibson, leader of the expedition and commander of the 1st Ranger Patrol Group, a military reserve unit comprising mostly Inuits.

"The Canadian flag and the Ranger flag flew from Resolute Bay right up to Canadian Forces Station Alert," he said.

The patrol was not without its difficulties. Two of the seven soldiers on the final leg of the journey were injured and needed to be airlifted to safety and all but five of the patrol's 16 snowmobiles succumbed during the trip.

All patrol members are also suffering from mild frostbite.

"Everybody has a few bumps and bruises and bangs but nothing significant," Maj. Gibson said.

The patrol left three brass plaques behind, each encased in heavy plastic and hanging in the middle of a wrought iron tripod that was welded together before leaving from Resolute on April 1.

The first plaque was erected on a spit of land jutting from Grinnell Peninsula on Devon Island, Maj. Gibson said.

The other was pounded into the rock and ice of Mount Koch, in a mountain range in northwestern Ellesmere Island above the Greely Fiord.

The third was brought to the Canadian Forces Station at Alert, a weather and military installation that claims the title as the world's most northerly permanently inhabited settlement.

"We have left the plaques along the way to mark our route and to note that we have actually been there; to leave our physical presence," said Maj. Gibson.

"I'm hoping they will be there for years to come. We put them on high features so they're glinting in the sun and I am certain that the pilots flying throughout the north will see these things."

A patrol of 20 soldiers left Resolute on April 1 and arrived in Eureka, a research station on Ellesmere Island, on April 5.

After a two-day rest, seven members continued to Alert.

It is one of several long-range sovereignty patrols that, over five years, will see Canadian soldiers snowmobile over almost all of the Arctic archipelago that forms Canada's far northern lands, military officials said.

Climate change is bringing increasing international attention to the area as the waterways become more passable as ice thins and recedes.

Among the disputes in the north are rival claims to Hans Island, a small, barren rock between Ellesmere Island and Greenland, made by Canada and Denmark.

Danish warships have been visiting the island and raising their national flag in what Canada claims is its sovereign territory.

Maj. Gibson said that should the government decide to mount a Canadian expedition to Hans Island, he would be the first to volunteer to be on it.

Next year, his patrol group is planning to snowmobile from Resolute to Mould Bay on Prince Patrick Island, an Arctic island in the west.

"We've learned some very valuable lessons," he said of the hardships encountered on this patrol.

"We've learned that although you can get anywhere with enough time and determination, there are some bits and pieces of equipment that we need.

"Twin Otters, or any aircraft on skis, are very limited where they can land and helicopters would be a very valuable resource," he said.

Master Warrant Officer Gerry Westcott, the second-in-command of the patrol who was flown out with an injured leg on Tuesday, said the patrol had to backtrack several times to find an appropriate place for their supply and support plane to land.

Approaching bad weather meant a Hercules transport plane that was scheduled to pick up their snowmobiles and other equipment this morning needed to fly in last night. That forced the soldiers to abandon plans for hot showers and sleep and start crating up their machines at the airfield.

The soldiers themselves are expected to leave today aboard a chartered aircraft rather than a military transport. Officials said the military's equipment was tied up elsewhere.

   

In reference to some of the previous posts, they put forward the idea that if the dispute ever heated up between Denmark and Canada, that the whole of the EU would come down on Canada, I believe this to be very false for one simple reason. Any motion in the EU parliment against Canada would almost for sure be squashed by the UK, for the ties between Canada and the United Kingdom are closer than those between the UK and any other European nation, we share the same head of state for crying out loud, they would never move against us. There is historical precedent for this assumption, during the Turbot Wars between Canada and Spain, there were motions in the EU against Canada, but the UK vetoed most of them if not all of them.

Public opinon in the UK also would not allow them to become hostile against us, I would go so far as to say the UK may even aid us in some way, certainly not Denmark.

   

As a future professional soldier I don't think we should go to war, but then again we shouldn't hand it over, if we send our soldiers up NO ONE will try and take it (except the states, the egos on thos guys :p) anyways.. What you said about the EU is true, you would only get backing if we attacked you, which is hard since we're on the isnland you aren't so you'de be attacking us which means nato (with includes the EU) would attack you) which means you get to fight Canada, the US Britioan France Germany (your only neighbour) so you'de be screwed, besides try and cross the atlantic, even our British reject subs would have a field day with your ships.

   

Well, how about a deal...

None of us wants to leave the Island to the other... So how about a 50/50 solution.... We can even have a Dmz for a few yards across the Island, just to make things more ironic.

Well As my souces tell me, its been like this for years, some days Canada have been to the island, and have left a bottle of Canadian whiskey, and then the Danes have entered the Island and left a bottle of "Old Dane", ... and so on.... Last recall of the situation is that there is a Old Dane lying up north waiting to be taken!!

And just to recap, due to the new power situation in the E.U (Eastern States) The Uk, cant squash or stop any resolution in the EU Parliment.

So to return to the Deal, how about a 50/50 solution, hell Ill even bring a Case of old Dane!!

   

Forgot to tell you, we already have Military bases in the Artic... Might have heared of the one they Call Thule Air Base, or Grønnedal Naval Base!

Well thats enhough, whos got the biggest thingy contest, for me anyway!!

War is stupid!!

   

   

Let's put a Canadian flag on that pole too, Dane. Maybe our respective soldiers can have drinking contests to determine whose flag gets to be on top.

This is really a stupid dispute...even stupider than most. Both sides have perfectly legitimate claims. Neither deserve total dominance. Both have placed themselves in a political position where negotiation and compromise are unlikely because of unrelated domestic concerns.

I like your idea for joint occupation, complete with a tiny DMZ, but I'd add the proviso that both sides have to exchange places every 24 hours.

   

Rev_Blair :I like your idea for joint occupation, complete with a tiny DMZ, but I'd add the proviso that both sides have to exchange places every 24 hours.

Better make it every 4 hours, its freeking cold, this way then will keep warm, moving from one side to the other!!

   

I don't think so

Have just been to a Canadian map site.

When searching for Hans Island on the maps it is obvious that Hans Island is actually OUTSIDE Canadian Territorial waters

When that is the case, on Government Maps, the whole saga about claiming the wretched piece of rock for Canada becomes a joke.

Check for yourselves, this is the Map site :

http://toporama.cits.rncan.gc.ca/En/frame.html

Happy searching

   

The fact that you can't find it doesn't mean it's not there, it means your searching skills suck ass.

   

Hans Island sits in the Kennedy Channel between Northwest Greenland and Northern Ellesmere Island. The Channel is only 35 km wide at that point, and the island is in the middle of the channel.

It took me only 1 google search and about 5 minutes of reading to find this out.

It all seems like too much effort and disagreement for me. Let's just come to some sort of basic sharing agreement and move on, eh?

   

Sharing wouldn't work cause the big issue her is fishing rights and if we share they'll get practically the same fishing right as if we gave them the whole rock (minus 2 kilometers) And I ment the coordinates not the general location because unless your description isn'tprecise enough, it could mean either country owned the rock.

   

Corporal-cam.......

On the website i looked, you can actually look up places and get their longitude and latitude. When applying those to the actual maps, Hans Island is actually outside Canadian waters.

By the way, the islands correct name is actually: Hans Ø
( Ø being the danish word for island)

Try looking again

   

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