Arctic Council meeting in Yellowknife begins today

The Arctic Council is meeting in Yellowknife this week to decide the issues the international body will work on, and many are curious to see if Russia's attempt toseizeCrimea in the Ukraine will affect the meeting.

Members of the Group of Eight nations have suspended themselves from that body, leaving Russia the lone G8 member, but it remains a member of the Arctic Council, alongsideCanada, the United States, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway andSweden.

Rob Huebert, a professor at the University of Calgarywho specializes in circumpolar relations, says tensions could rise if Finland and Sweden join NATO.

"If that happens, you're going tohave a sense that Russia is going to say it is being encircled by the other Arctic nations and I have no question if that was to happen, you would see the ability to function within the ArcticCouncil severely damaged."

Hubert says unless that happens, he doesn't see the meeting being affected by what is happening in Crimea. He says the Arctic Council prides itself on being able to represent international co-operation at its best.

However, Greenpeace is expected to stage a protest outside the meetingagainst what it calls "the pro-oil agenda" of the council.

The meetings are scheduled to run March 25-27.