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Canadian Forces headed to Louisiana

JasonH

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Canada sending four ships to Louisiana: Graham

CTV.ca News Staff

Defence Minister Bill Graham has announced that Ottawa is sending three Canadian warships and a coast guard vessel packed with relief supplies to the hurricane-ravaged U.S. Gulf Coast.

Graham said the destroyer, HMCS Athabaskan, and two frigates, HMCS Ville de Quebec and HMCS Toronto, are being readied for deployment and should leave Halifax in three or four days. They will be accompanied by the CCGS Sir William Alexander.

It will take another three to four days before the ships arrive in the Gulf of Mexico.

Organizers of the mission, dubbed Operation Union, said the ships are expected to provide humanitarian aid, along with divers, and engineering expertise for reconstruction.

As well, three Sea King helicopters will be sent to ferry personnel into the devastated areas.

Commodore Dean McFadden, who will command the deployment, said they were discussing with their American counterparts what their role will be during the expected month-long mission.

He thought their duties will involve reconstruction, health care and humanitarian aid.

"We will have the capacity to move people. We'll have the capacity to bring medical supplies and fuel capabilities,'' McFadden said as he stood on the dock next to destroyer HMCS Athabaskan, the command and control ship for the mission.

"The specific jobs we're going to do, I'll wait until the Americans tell us what help they need.''

Earlier, Prime Minister Paul Martin told reporters in Saskatoon that "whatever aid is required [Canada] will provide it."

The prime minister rejected the suggestion that Canada has been slow to react to the growing crisis.

"We're not waiting to be asked for help," Martin told reporters at a pancake breakfast commemorating Saskatchewan's centennial celebration.

"We're waiting to be told how our aid can best be directed.

"The Americans have said to us, 'Listen we're not in a position to take this. We have to set up coordinating bodies.' Once they are set up, we will be able to do it. But for us just to land there in the midst of a lot of chaos really wouldn't do anybody any good."

Ottawa is also responding on another front.

Martin announced Friday that Canada will increase oil exports as requested by the International Energy Agency.

"Our goal will be to help stabilize the existing situation but not in any way that will impose any diminishing supply for Canadians," Martin said.

If the other 26 member countries do the same they will help stabilize the world market in the wake of the storm, which badly damaged the U.S. Gulf Coast oil supply.

Martin said he had consulted with the province and oil companies before making his decision.

He said the aid effort won't result in a shortage in Canada.

Canadian drivers have been hammered at the gas pumps in recent days due to energy price spikes cause by the hurricane.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1125681799234_121090999/?hub=TopStories

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The multi-role patrol frigate HMCS Toronto is part of the fleet headed to the southern U.S.

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The Canadian Destroyer HMCS Athabaskan will be going to Louisiana to assist in aid efforts.
 
It's good that Canada is getting involved. Hopefully it will demonstrate to the many bleeding hearts in this country who do not value the importance of our Navy, let alone the rest of the CF, that our military personnel and hardware can be used for a variety of roles.

:cdn:

 
George Wallace said:
How many times do you plan on posting this?

Other post was a mistake, I was looking at the wrong forum when posted.  :-[
 
Are we going to be sending any ground personel down there i.e. army?
 
Cpl.Banks(Cdt.) said:
Are we going to be sending any ground personel down there i.e. army?

yea, here in gagetown a plattoon of engineers were bugged out to go
 
Yes, The engineers are going for sure. Construction, heavy equipment, water purification, that sort of things... warning order is out.
 
They better deploy with their personal weapons. Had an incident otday with Corps of Engineer contractors under fire and the police responded killing/wounding the bad guys.
 
tomahawk6 said:
They better deploy with their personal weapons. Had an incident otday with Corps of Engineer contractors under fire and the police responded killing/wounding the bad guys.

I don't think your gov't would allow that.  Hopefully we will have some bodyguards from one of your military orgainzations.
 
It has been a week and there is no coordinating body set up? Makes me wonder who, if anyone is running the relief? 60 countries and international orginizations are waiting to go and help now.

It is time for 'W' to lead, declare Federal control and put Rudolph Guiliani in charge of the overall effort, or someone equally capable.
 
Homeland Security is the lead agency. FEMA as part of Homeland Security is the coordinating agency. LTG Honore is commander of Task Force Katrina. Honore is the real deal, a no nonsense guy who gets things done.

As to personal weapons- the National Guard that first deployed into New Orleans did so without weapons. After gunfire occured/looting they were armed. All troops deploying into the area are coming with their weapons for personal protection [Fed troops] and NG troops are assisting law enforcement in securing the city. Police are in the city from all over the US including NYPD so hopefully the situation will stabilize.
 
tomahawk6 said:
... After gunfire occured/looting they were armed. All troops deploying into the area are coming with their weapons for personal protection [Fed troops] and NG troops are assisting law enforcement in securing the city.

Granted, but the initial comment still stands - CF members would not be permitted to carry weapons (much less employ them) on foreign soil without a direct communique between Ottawa and Washington - anything else would be considered an invasion by foreign troops.
 
I dont think you can have troops deploy anywhere without the means for self defense. A fact that Washington would sign off on. Of course by the time the Canadian contribution arrives, the security situation could be stabilized.
 
tomahawk6 said:
I dont think you can have troops deploy anywhere without the means for self defense. A fact that Washington would sign off on.

The red cross won't have any firearms nor will any other non-governmental helping organization.  I think its safe to assume we wouldn't either.

Also we already have dive teams there and red cross people.
 
I really can't see Canadian troops being armed on American soil...
 
Just a Sig Op said:
I really can't see Canadian troops being armed on American soil...

Well I've seen and worked with U.S. troops armed with live on our soil!
 
Well I've seen and worked with U.S. troops armed with live on our soil!

On an actual dom op?

As an aside, 82nd ABN has occupied the French Quater, which I understand was the most trouble prone area in the old city.

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Unloaded rifles and berets tell me that the threat level isn't too high. Either that or their mere prescence is intimidation enough.
 
I was about to say the same... training in a military training area and operations are two different things... one can only hope that if the situation requires that we'd be allowed to carry our pers weapons, though I'd be much happier knowing the situation didn't require.
 
As an aside...whats up with the 4th pic? Is that some kind of active camo or am I loosing it?
 
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