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Canada to join British-led mission to train Ukrainian recruits – CBC News

Published

2 years ago

August 4, 2022

Canada will commit a contingent of soldiers to the British Army’s ambitious program to turn Ukrainian civilians into fighting troops, Defence Minister Anita Anand said Thursday.

She made the announcement in Toronto, confirming what multiple sources told CBC News.

Outgoing British prime minister Boris Johnson committed to the training plan in mid-June while meeting with Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.

Up to 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers are expected to fly to the U.K. for basic and specialist military in courses that last five weeks. The first tranche of Ukrainian recruits arrived and instruction began in early July.

The plan amounts to the restart of Operation Unifier, the long-standing training mission which saw —until its suspension last winter — more than 33,000 Ukrainian soldiers given advanced combat instruction by Canadian soldiers.

Minister of Defence Anita Anand speaks during an announcement at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in Trenton, Ont., on Monday June 20, 2022. Anand announced Thursday that 225 CAF members will deploy to the U.K. to train thousands of fresh Ukrainian troops. (Lars Hagberg/The Canadian Press)

That mission, conducted on Ukrainian soil, was halted and the troops pulled out of the eastern European country in mid-February on the eve of the full-scale Russian invasion.

The new iteration involves up to 225 personnel, the majority of whom will work as trainers, supported by a command and control element, Anand said.

The initial deployment is expected four months.

“When we paused training in Ukraine this past winter, we said clearly that we would resume the training whenever and wherever the opportunity arose,” said the minister.

Lt.-Col. Kris Reeves is shown during a medal ceremony in Starychi, Ukraine, on Feb. 26, 2018. (Cpl. Neil P. Clarkson/DND)

“By working with the United Kingdom, we will continue to make good on that promise. Canada salutes the courage and bravery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and we will continue to help empower them with the skills that they need to defend their nation’s freedom and independence.”

The first Canadian-led courses will take place at a military base located in South East England, and Anand said they will teach a flexible curriculum focused on individual skills required for front-line combat, including weapons handling, battlefield first aid, fieldcraft, patrol tactics and the Law of Armed Conflict.

The Ukrainian government has repeatedly pressed Canada to restart the training in a third country, said diplomatic sources, who spoke separately to CBC News and were granted anonymity because of the sensitivity of the file.

The Liberal government made the training mission, which began under the former Conservative government, a point of pride, and was often pointed to as proof of Canada’s commitment to Ukraine’s security.

During the press conference following her announcement, Anand was asked why the government didn’t relaunch the training mission sooner.

Anand defended the timing of the decision by pointing to other military supports Canada has providing, including a number of M777 howitzers and training on how to use the artillery guns.

Trudeau left door open to particpating in U.K. effort

Asked about Johnson’s training plan at the end of the NATO Summit in June, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau left the door open to participating.

“Canada will continue to look for opportunities to continue to support Ukraine in a range of ways,” he said. “We have actively done training on the howitzers which we did in Latvia [and] we’re looking for other ways as well to be helpful.”

The prime minister was referring to the training that took place last spring after Canada donated four of the army’s 155-millimetre M-777 howitzers to Ukraine.

Before the eruption of full-scale war in Ukraine, Britain separately helped train Ukrainian forces between 2015 and 2022 under the banner of Operation Orbital, putting approximately 22,000 troops through their program.

It also withdrew when Moscow launched its so-called special military operation to overthrow the government in Kyiv.

When the U.K. inaugurated its new training program in early July, it invited allies to participate. In addition to Canada stepping forward, one other unidentified Commonwealth country is expected to join the effort.

British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace visited one of the training areas after the first recruits arrived and lauded the initiative.

“Using the world-class expertise of the British army we will help Ukraine to rebuild its forces and scale up its resistance as they defend their country’s sovereignty and their right to choose their own future,” Wallace was quoted as saying by the British media.

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Ontario’s top court dismisses application for bail from Jacob Hoggard

Published

4 mins ago

September 13, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – A justice with Ontario’s Appeal Court has dismissed an application for bail from Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard as he tries to appeal his sexual assault conviction at the country’s top court.

Justice Jill Copeland heard arguments at a bail hearing for Hoggard earlier this week, not long after the Hedley frontman began serving his five-year sentence.

Hoggard, who was found guilty in June 2022 of sexual assault causing bodily harm against an Ottawa woman, filed an application last week for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court and sought bail at Ontario’s Appeal Court.

His application to the Supreme Court argues that the Appeal Court – which recently upheld his conviction – failed to apply the proper test in determining whether an error made by the trial judge constituted a “harmless error.”

Copeland says at this stage, where Hoggard’s conviction has been unanimously affirmed by the Appeal Court and it “appears unlikely” he will be granted leave to appeal by the Supreme Court, she is satisfied that the public interest in enforcing the musician’s sentence outweighs his interest in a second review of his conviction.

She says that if the Supreme Court grants leave to appeal, a reassessment of Hoggard’s bail status may be warranted.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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Trudeau says up to Air Canada and pilots to reach a deal as deadline approaches

Published

5 mins ago

September 13, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it’s up to Air Canada and the union to reach an agreement to avoid disrupting travellers and businesses.

Speaking at an event in Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que. on Friday, Trudeau said he wouldn’t tip the scales towards either party, while dodging the question of whether he would force pilots back to work.

The airline and pilots will be in a position starting Sunday to issue 72-hour notice of a strike or lockout.

The airline has said the notice would trigger its three-day wind-down plan and start the clock on a full work stoppage that could come as early as Sept. 18.

The airline says the union is being inflexible with “unreasonable wage demands.”

The union has said that it is corporate greed that’s holding up talks, as Air Canada continues to post record profits while expecting pilots to accept below-market compensation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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Former receiver Green part of Canadian Football Hall of Fame’s 2024 class

Published

33 mins ago

September 13, 2024

Anne Joseph

For over a decade, S.J. Green was the enemy of Hamilton Tiger-Cats fans.

He should receive a warmer reception Saturday when recognized as a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Then again . . .

“I’ll be honest, if I get a boo or two I won’t be surprised,” Green said with a chuckle. “It’s fun, I’m looking forward to everything that comes with this weekend.”

Joining Green in the Class of 2024 are former players Chad Owens, Weston Dressler, Vince Goldsmith and Marvin Coleman. Former CFL coach Ray Jauch and amateur football icon Ed Laverty (posthumously) were named as builders.

The seven were scheduled to be formally inducted Friday night, and then honoured Saturday at halftime of the Hamilton-Ottawa game at Tim Hortons Field. Green now fully appreciates the magnitude of the honour.

“Being here and getting to see some of the other inductees has been the ground-breaking moment for me where it’s actually starting to set in, that it’s a real thing,” Green said. “To put it into the shortest phrase I can, it’s football eternity.

“Not everyone gets to play the game at a professional level … to be a part of this brotherhood and statistically elite group is amazing and very humbling.”

The six-foot-three, 216-pound Green was a fluid receiver with Montreal (2007-16) and Toronto (2017-19). Green, 39, registered 716 catches for 10,222 yards with 60 TDs.

He suffered a serious knee injury early in 2016 but registered career highs in catches (104) and yards (1,462) the next season with Toronto. The Argos would win the Grey Cup, Green’s third (2009-10 with Montreal).

Green’s pro career ended in the XFL in 2020 as the CFL didn’t play that season due to the global pandemic. However, Green’s contract was abruptly terminated when the league suspended operations.

He retired in 2022 after signing a one-day contract with Montreal. Green, who owns and operates a landscape business in Tampa, said his transition to life after football wasn’t seamless.

“I went through a period … I don’t want to call it depression but I don’t know what else to call it, where it was just hard to watch the CFL game,” Green said. “I felt like I didn’t get to end it how I truly wanted.

“I miss the game still to this day and it was hard to get over but eventually you grow up, right? This (induction) makes all the time worth it, it feels right.”

Green also appreciates being inducted with Owens. Both began their CFL careers as practice-roster players with Montreal.

“That makes it more special,” Green said. “We both came in from the perspective of being practice-squad guys, having to prove ourselves to get on the field.

“Unfortunately, Chad had to leave Montreal to show the league who he was as a player and person while I was able to stay in Montreal and reap the same benefits. To watch him go to Toronto and become the player he was made it all come full circle. It’s very rewarding to go in with Chad.”

The five-foot-eight, 180-pound Owens, dubbed The Flyin’ Hawaiian, spent 10 seasons with Montreal (2009), Toronto (2010-15), Hamilton (2016, 2018) and Saskatchewan (2017). He was a four-time all-star, the league’s top special-teams player (2010) and its outstanding performer (2012).

Owens, 42, claimed his first Grey Cup ring with Montreal. He earned a second with Toronto in 2012.

Owens recorded 521 career catches for 6,217 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also had 4,027 punt-returns yards (11-yard average, five TDs) and 5,479 kickoff-returns yards, amassing 16,698 combined yards.

Dressler, 39, played with Saskatchewan (2008-15) and Winnipeg (2016-18), registering 715 catches for 10,026 yards and 61 TDs. The five-foot-seven, 168-pound Bismarck, N.D., native was the CFL’s top rookie in ’08 and a two-time all-star who made two Grey Cup appearances, winning in ’13 in Regina with the Riders.

Goldsmith, 65, was a dominant defensive lineman with Saskatchewan (1981-83, 1988-90), Toronto (1984) and Calgary (1985-87). He was the CFL’s top rookie in 1981 with 17 sacks then posted a career-best 20 two years later.

Goldsmith had 10 or more sacks eight times and finished with 130.5 (eighth all-time). He won a Grey Cup in ’89 with Saskatchewan.

Coleman, 52, was another dual threat. The five-foot-nine, 170-pound cornerback played with Calgary (1994-2000) and Winnipeg (2001-03) and was a three-time league all-star with 28 interceptions (six return TDs) and 538 tackles.

Coleman stands fourth all-time in punt-return yards (5,211), seventh in kickoff-returns yards (11,545) and scored seven return TDs. He played in four Grey Cups, winning twice with Calgary.

Jauch, 86, played in the ’59 Rose Bowl as a running back with Iowa and was an AFL first-round pick by Buffalo, but opted for Winnipeg.

He suffered a career-ending torn Achilles in Winnipeg’s ’61 Grey Cup win over Hamilton. Jauch became Edmonton’s running back coach in 1966 before being promoted to head coach in 1970.

He served as head coach with Edmonton (1970-76), Winnipeg (1978-82) and Saskatchewan (1994-95). He recorded 127 regular-season wins (sixth all-time) and in ’75 led Edmonton to its first Grey Cup win since 1956.

Jauch was the 1980 CFL coach of the year.

Laverty served as president of the Ottawa Nepean touch football league from 1964 to 2015. He held a similar post with the Ontario Touch Football League for over 10 years and helped launch Touch Football Canada.

Laverty was inducted into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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