Posted on 07/25/2005 4:15:11 PM PDT by Rodney King
n ongoing border dispute between Canada and Denmark is heating up again following Defence Minister Bill Graham's secret visit to a frozen Arctic island north of Greenland.
Last week, Graham set foot on tiny Hans Island, claimed by both Canada and Denmark.
Graham said Canada had always regarded the 1.3-square-kilometre island as part of Canadian territory.
His comments have caused a stir in Copenhagen and now Denmark says it will send a protest letter to Canada over the incident.
Officials at the Canadian Embassy in Copenhagen declined to comment.
Earlier this month, Canadian military personnel landed on the island, leaving behind a Canadian flag and an Inuit stone marker, reported The Globe and Mail.
Hans Island, which lies about 1,100 kilometres south of the North Pole can only be reached during summer because of pack ice.
It has been claimed by both Denmark and Canada since Arctic borders were drawn in 1973.
The border lies through Nares Strait, halfway between Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory and Canada's Ellesmere Island.
However neither country could agree which one would have sovereignty over Hans Island and several other islands in the area, so a decision was made to sort out the question of ownership at a later stage.
It's not the first spat between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island.
Danish navy ships visited in the island in 2002 and 2003.
And in 1984, Tom Hoeyem, Denmark's minister of Greenland affairs, placed a Danish flag on the island and a bottle of brandy with a note saying "Welcome to the Danish island."
It's ours. Look at the name of the strait that it's located in. It's not a Danish name. It was a British possession, transferred to Canada. And real Canadians are not going to stand idly by while Denmark tries to muscle in on our land.
Just because Canadians generally have a high BS tolerance doesn't mean it's an infinite capacity. Graham is finally growing a pair (at least on this issue) and for once (at least on this one issue) I applaud the Liberal Party.
This could make for one hell of a military confrontation between Denmark and the superpower to our North
All 15 of you? Anyway, do you have a map that clearly depicts this? Not many focus on the Arctic.
I have been searching for the perfect place to relocate UN Headquaters. Note to self: A List.
The new location for Gitmo II?
Yeah, go fight the danes over a rock while the mudslimes and libs run your country into the toilet.
And Denmark could break it's wrist in the melee.
who cares, neither have a military. This is like 2 armless men arguing over a hotdog
Does the South China Sea then belong to China?
And the Canadian Navy will likely sink itself if put to sea to challenge the Danes. What was it last year, a newly outfitted Canadian submarine nearly burnt its crew to death?
Denmark has sent troops to Iraq. Unlike Canada, Denmark is a friend and ally. I go with Denmark on this one.
Denmark has been a supporter of ours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Plus, they have been cracking down on their muslim immigration. That's why I am rooting for them.
No, because nobody owns the oceans. But China belongs to China. And Hans Island (not, say, Gordon Island) belongs to Denmark, the home of proportionally more real men than Canada.
The two deserve each other.
Rumor is that Canada has called Hammacher Schlemmer in preparation for a huge naval buildup.
If the Danes decide to fight....
What will Canada fight them with.....
Your sinking submarines?
Your non-existent Army?
Your non-existent Navy?
Perhaps if you have your married gays protest....the Danes will comply..
Semper Fi
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