Canada's increased military presence in the Arctic poses environmental dangers

The Canadian Forces mounted four operations in the Arctic this year, one more than in 2006, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper recently promised to build a deep-sea port and military training centre to bolster Canada's claim over the region. Russia recently made its own move to assert its sovereignty over the top of the world by placing a flag beneath the North Pole. The federal government has carefully documented its stepped-up Arctic presence with official photographs on the National Defence website showing soldiers firing ammunition rounds.