Canada to send frigate to Eastern Europe
[ http://o.canada.com/news/canada-to-send ... ern-europe ]
Lee Berthiaume Published: April 30, 2014, 3:13 pm
OTTAWA — A Canadian warship is being routed to Eastern Europe to help NATO in its tense standoff with Russia over the crisis in Ukraine, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Wednesday.
HMCS Regina, one of the navy’s 12 frigates, had been patrolling with allies in the Arabian Sea as part of a multinational counter-terrorism mission, and is the latest Canadian military contribution in response to the Ukrainian crisis.
Six CF-18 fighters jets as well as about 250 associated support crew members left Tuesday for Romania, where the aircraft will patrol with allies in a show of strength intended to reassure Poland and the Baltic States, and convince Russia to backdown.
The frigate is crewed by 250 sailors, one of whom died last month while the ship was docked in Tanzania. Leading Seaman Brandon South was a sonar operator aboard the Regina. Officials said at the time they were still investigating his cause of death.
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[ http://o.canada.com/news/canada-to-send ... ern-europe ]
Next . . . . Canada to send frigate, troops to E. Europe
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Next . . . . Canada to send frigate, troops to E. Europe
by Oscar » Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:42 pm
Last edited by Oscar on Fri May 02, 2014 4:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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50 Canadian troops to join NATO exercises in Poland
by Oscar » Fri May 02, 2014 4:30 pm
50 Canadian troops to join NATO exercises in Poland
[ http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/50-cana ... -1.2629849 ]
CBC News Posted: May 02, 2014 12:36 PM ET Last Updated: May 02, 2014 2:06 PM ET
Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canada will send soldiers to Poland to take part in NATO exercises amid growing concerns about Russian aggression toward Ukraine.
Harper made the announcement during a press conference in London, Ont., on Friday.
"The Putin regime's persistent military aggression and its ongoing illegal occupation of Crimea and other parts of Ukraine threaten the stability and security of central and Eastern Europe," Harper said.
Approximately 50 troops from the 3rd Canadian Division based in Edmonton will depart Friday to take part in Exercise Orzel Alert in Swidwin, Poland, next week.
The soldiers will "conduct training in parachuting, airborne operations and infantry skills alongside Polish and American counterparts in this United States-led exercise with a view to enhancing Alliance interoperability and readiness," according to a release from the prime minister's office on Friday.
The move comes just days after six CF-18 fighter jets left Canada to join a NATO mission in Romania and the Department of National Defence announced that the warship HMCS Regina would be redeployed to a NATO group as part of a Ukraine "reassurance mission."
The government also said this week that a Canadian military officer is heading an international arms-control verification team investigating "unusual military activity" in Ukraine, but the inspections won't include the disputed Crimea region, which was annexed by Russia.
The government says this latest deployment, though small, is intended to send a two-part message: That Canada is willing to stand with NATO and that NATO is standing up against Russia.
In Ottawa, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird concluded meetings with his Dutch counterpart Frans Timmermans at which the NATO reassurance mission was discussed.
"Canada is going to do its part as part of that reassurance package to send a pretty clear message that those NATO bonds and that NATO alliance is strong and should not be misjudged," Baird said.
MORE:
[ http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/50-cana ... -1.2629849 ]
= == = = = = =
MAY: No CF-18s to Eastern Europe
From: Elizabeth.May@parl.gc.ca
Sent: Friday, May 2, 2014 12:17 PM
Subject: RE: No CF-18s to Eastern Europe [2802]
Thank you for copying me on your letter to the Prime Minister about Canada sending CF-18 fighter jets to Eastern Europe as a “show of strength.”
It boggles the mind that we have gotten to the point where the Prime Minister deems it appropriate to send a mission of over 200 soldiers without first consulting Parliament. We used to live in a country where we took missions like these seriously and where the constitutional supremacy of Parliament was recognized in making decisions of this importance. In contrast, Members of Parliament only heard about this after the decision had been made.
Canada used to play a crucial role on the world stage. We used to be the honest brokers, known for our success in diplomacy when it seemed that force was the only option. We are now transitioning towards a nation that sends fighter jets to flex our muscles and to intimidate, not thinking about how that will affect our diplomatic credibility. Though it is the Harper Conservatives who are pushing this agenda, the other opposition parties have also signed on. Even when Parliament is allowed the courtesy of a vote on our military missions, as in the vote to extend the military mission in Libya, mine was the only dissenting vote.
In sending these jets, not only was the democratic process not respected, it is also very unclear what the terms of the mission are. In the words of Lt.-Gen. Yvan Blondin “There is a lot of uncertainty about what we're going to be doing over there.” We know that we are sending jets, we just are not exactly sure why.
While we should be pushing for dialogue and diplomacy, we are sending an open-ended mission with unclear terms. Instead of playing a key role in resolving the crisis in Ukraine, we are opting for empty force. Parliament could have told Harper this. If only he had asked.
Thank you again for writing.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth May, O.C., M.P.
Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands
Leader of the Green Party of Canada
[ http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/50-cana ... -1.2629849 ]
CBC News Posted: May 02, 2014 12:36 PM ET Last Updated: May 02, 2014 2:06 PM ET
Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canada will send soldiers to Poland to take part in NATO exercises amid growing concerns about Russian aggression toward Ukraine.
Harper made the announcement during a press conference in London, Ont., on Friday.
"The Putin regime's persistent military aggression and its ongoing illegal occupation of Crimea and other parts of Ukraine threaten the stability and security of central and Eastern Europe," Harper said.
Approximately 50 troops from the 3rd Canadian Division based in Edmonton will depart Friday to take part in Exercise Orzel Alert in Swidwin, Poland, next week.
The soldiers will "conduct training in parachuting, airborne operations and infantry skills alongside Polish and American counterparts in this United States-led exercise with a view to enhancing Alliance interoperability and readiness," according to a release from the prime minister's office on Friday.
The move comes just days after six CF-18 fighter jets left Canada to join a NATO mission in Romania and the Department of National Defence announced that the warship HMCS Regina would be redeployed to a NATO group as part of a Ukraine "reassurance mission."
The government also said this week that a Canadian military officer is heading an international arms-control verification team investigating "unusual military activity" in Ukraine, but the inspections won't include the disputed Crimea region, which was annexed by Russia.
The government says this latest deployment, though small, is intended to send a two-part message: That Canada is willing to stand with NATO and that NATO is standing up against Russia.
In Ottawa, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird concluded meetings with his Dutch counterpart Frans Timmermans at which the NATO reassurance mission was discussed.
"Canada is going to do its part as part of that reassurance package to send a pretty clear message that those NATO bonds and that NATO alliance is strong and should not be misjudged," Baird said.
MORE:
[ http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/50-cana ... -1.2629849 ]
= == = = = = =
MAY: No CF-18s to Eastern Europe
From: Elizabeth.May@parl.gc.ca
Sent: Friday, May 2, 2014 12:17 PM
Subject: RE: No CF-18s to Eastern Europe [2802]
Thank you for copying me on your letter to the Prime Minister about Canada sending CF-18 fighter jets to Eastern Europe as a “show of strength.”
It boggles the mind that we have gotten to the point where the Prime Minister deems it appropriate to send a mission of over 200 soldiers without first consulting Parliament. We used to live in a country where we took missions like these seriously and where the constitutional supremacy of Parliament was recognized in making decisions of this importance. In contrast, Members of Parliament only heard about this after the decision had been made.
Canada used to play a crucial role on the world stage. We used to be the honest brokers, known for our success in diplomacy when it seemed that force was the only option. We are now transitioning towards a nation that sends fighter jets to flex our muscles and to intimidate, not thinking about how that will affect our diplomatic credibility. Though it is the Harper Conservatives who are pushing this agenda, the other opposition parties have also signed on. Even when Parliament is allowed the courtesy of a vote on our military missions, as in the vote to extend the military mission in Libya, mine was the only dissenting vote.
In sending these jets, not only was the democratic process not respected, it is also very unclear what the terms of the mission are. In the words of Lt.-Gen. Yvan Blondin “There is a lot of uncertainty about what we're going to be doing over there.” We know that we are sending jets, we just are not exactly sure why.
While we should be pushing for dialogue and diplomacy, we are sending an open-ended mission with unclear terms. Instead of playing a key role in resolving the crisis in Ukraine, we are opting for empty force. Parliament could have told Harper this. If only he had asked.
Thank you again for writing.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth May, O.C., M.P.
Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands
Leader of the Green Party of Canada
- Oscar
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9966
- Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm
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