Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday announced that Canada would deploy an additional 460 Canadian Armed Forces troops to Latvia as part of Operation REASSURANCE to “reinforce” Canada’s commitment to NATO, as tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine reach new heights.
This comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his government would be recognizing the separatist-controlled regions of Eastern Ukraine as independent states. Russia has also moved its troops into these regions.
Here’s what you need to know about Canada’s troop commitments and NATO contributions.
WHAT IS OPERATION REASSURANCE?
Operation REASSURANCE refers to Canada’s NATO commitments in Central and Eastern Europe, maintaining a military presence in the region to help with training and exercises as well as acting as a deterrent against threats.
In the skies, Canada conducts air policing missions with its CF-18 Hornet fighter jets, as well as surveillance and training. At sea, Canadian frigates perform routine patrols in the Mediterranean and Black Seas.
The first air, land and maritime task forces were sent to the region as a part of the operation in 2014, in response to the Russian annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.
In 2016, NATO members agreed to expand their military presence in this region and establish four multinational battlegroups based in Estonia, Lithuania, Poland and Latvia. The battlegroups are each led by the U.K., Germany, the U.S. and Canada, respectively.
HOW MANY TROOPS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED ALREADY?
The Department of Defence says at any time, there can be up to 915 Canadian troops deployed for Operation REASSURANCE.
In 2017, 540 members of the Canadian Armed Forces were deployed to a base near Riga, Latvia to establish the multinational battlegroup. The Latvian deployment is the largest deployment of Canadian troops in Europe and was renewed in 2018 for another four years to March 2023.
The size of the Canadian-led battlegroup is around 1,400 troops and includes soldiers from Spain, Poland, Italy, Slovakia, Czechia, Slovenia, Albania and Montenegro.
At sea, approximately 240 soldiers aboard the HMCS Montreal have been operating in the NATO Maritime Command since the ship departed Halifax last January. Prior to that, the HMCS Fredericton was deployed between July and December 2021. Eight different ships over 15 deployments have contributed to the operation.
As part of the operation’s Air Task Force, 140 Canadian air personnel along with six CF-18 jets had been deployed for NATO air policing missions in Romania between September and December 2021.
HOW MANY TROOPS WILL CANADA DEPLOY IN THE FUTURE?
For the deployment of 460 troops that was announced on Tuesday, Defence Minister Anita Anand told reporters that an artillery battery of “about 120 people” will be the first to deploy to Latvia. These soldiers will be drawn from bases across Canada and are set to deploy in 30 days for approximately six weeks.
The HMCS Halifax, which has a crew capacity of approximately 250 people, will also be heading to Europe as a part of the operation “towards the last part of March,” Anand said.
Finally, Canada is also sending a CP-140 Aurora aircraft, used for anti-submarine maritime patrols and surveillance.
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
