"Survey flights Ottawa conducted in late winter and early spring went beyond the North Pole and into an area where Russia has staked claims, a Department of Natural Resources official said Sunday."
The account continued by stating, "If Canada eventually files a claim that extends past the North Pole, it could find itself in conflict with Russia.
"Canada and Russia have both committed to a peaceful resolution of conflicts over claims submitted under the international process, a pledge [that] will be put to the test if Ottawa and Moscow submit overlapping stakes.
"Canadian scientists contend that the underwater Lomonosov Ridge is an extension of the North American continental shelf.
"It is estimated that a quarter of the world's undiscovered oil and gas lies under the Arctic." [34]
Canadian military and civilian leaders have been laying the groundwork for this confrontation since the advent of the Harper administration.
In August of 2007 the prime minister "announced plans to build a new army training centre in the Far North at Resolute Bay [east end of the Northwest Passage] and to outfit a deep-water port for both military and civilian use at the northern tip of Baffin Island.
"His trip to the Arctic earlier this month was accompanied by the biggest military exercise in the region in years, with 600 soldiers, sailors and air crew participating.” [35]
A year later the Harper and Bush governments laid aside a long-standing dispute in the Arctic's Beaufort Sea "in the name of defending against Russia’s Arctic claims, which clash with those of the US, Canada, Denmark and Norway.” [36]
In the same month Canada conducted what it called the first of several military sovereignty exercises in the Arctic, a full spectrum affair including "In addition to the army, navy and air force, several federal agencies and departments are participating, including the Coast Guard, RCMP, CSIS, Canada Border Services Agency, Transport Canada and Health Canada."
"Military officials say this year's exercise involves the most number of departments and agencies ever." [37]
Later in August of 2008 Harper and Defence Secretary MacKay visited the Northwest Territories to inspect "four CF18 Canadian military jets sent to Inuvik in response to what officials said was an unidentified aircraft that had neared Canadian air space." [38]
Last September the Canadian Defence Ministry launched "Operation NANOOK 2008, a sovereignty operation in Canada's eastern Arctic. Not only that, but Harper also voiced support for plans to build a military port and a military base beyond the Polar Circle."
This at a time when "The United States has joined the race, too, teaming up with Canada to map the unexplored Arctic sea floor." [39]
On September 19th Harper was paraphrased as saying "Canada is stepping up its military alertness along its northern frontier in response to Russia's 'testing' of its boundaries and recent Arctic grab.
"We are concerned about not just Russia's claims through the international process, but Russia's testing of Canadian airspace and other indications...(of) some desire to work outside of the international framework. That is obviously why we are taking a range of measures, including military measures, to strengthen our sovereignty in the North." [40]
In December of last year defence chief MacKay "singled out possible naval encroachments from Russia and China, saying, 'We have to be diligent.'" [41]
This March MacKay "announced...the locations of the two satellite reception ground stations for the $60 million Polar Epsilon project designed to provide space-based, day and night surveillance of Canada's Arctic and its ocean approaches. [42]
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