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‘It’s the only option’: Some Finnish people in Canada in favour of NATO bid

Published

2 years ago

May 18, 2022

Some Finnish people living in Canada say they support Finland’s recent historic decision to seek NATO membership after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Finnish parliament resoundingly rubber-stamped the government’s decision to seek membership on Tuesday. The previously non-aligned Finland was joined by Sweden on Wednesday in submitting their official applications to the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels.

Only three months ago, Borje Vahamaki would have opposed the move, but he says his opinion shifted after watching Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

Vahamaki, who is a professor emeritus in Finnish studies at the University of Toronto, says there has been a major change in public opinion among Finns in Canada and Finland following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 with record levels of support for the Nordic country being part of the defensive alliance.

“Virtually everybody I have talked to says we just have to do this. We have to protect ourselves because if we don’t have the entire NATO backing us up then we are extremely vulnerable because of that long border with Russia.”

Finland shares a 1,300-kilometre border with Russia. Vahamaki says Finland has a war history with Russia but in recent decades has maintained an amicable relationship with the country.

“The last 30 years have been very friendly and very co-operative in business and in all kinds of areas but with (Vladimir) Putin’s war it has changed the entire picture,” he said.

“We have come to that realization.”

Joining NATO would be a huge shift for Finland and Sweden. Finland adopted neutrality after being defeated by the Soviet Union in the Second World War, while Sweden has stayed out of military alliances for more than 200 years.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with Prime Minister Sanna Marin of Finland on Wednesday to reiterate Canada’s support for the country’s accession to the alliance.

Trudeau assured his counterpart that Canada would support Finland in response to threats to its security between the time of its application for membership and its formal accession to NATO, a statement from his office said.

Earlier in the day, Trudeau also pledged his support to Sweden in seeking NATO membership, saying the two Nordic countries have the sovereign right to choose their own security arrangements.

The move has been welcomed by several other NATO countries, including the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. However, Turkey has objected to the two Nordic countries joining, alleging that they support Kurdish militants.

Pasi Pinta says he wasn’t surprised to hear Finland pushed ahead with its bid to join NATO.

Pinta is the honorary consul of Finland and lives in Thunder Bay.

He says discussions around Finland joining the alliance started after Russia increased rhetoric late last year demanding NATO refuse to accept new members.

“That was the first thing that changed the game for Finland because that limits Finnish sovereignty and Finnish free choice on choosing its own defence partners and its own defence policy.”

Finland is right in seeking to be part of a defensive alliance, says Pinta.

Thunder Bay is home to the largest Finnish community outside of Finland. Pinta has yet to hear of events or demonstrations for or against Finland’s move but suspects much of the local community aligns itself with the decision.

Pinta says for a long time Russian repercussions have overshadowed Finland’s decision-making process.

“That kind of thinking clouded and influenced a lot of Finns. Even up to the end of last year.”

Russia has repeatedly warned its Nordic neighbours that their joining the alliance would have negative consequences.

Salla Carson is bracing herself for an “information war” that may take place on Russia’s part including the spread of disinformation to influence Finnish people, the public and media.

Carson moved from Finland to Calgary in 2014. She was happy to hear what she calls good news that Finland and Sweden presented a united front this week.

“I think it’s the only option,” she said by phone.

“When I realized (an invasion) could happen in Finland … the next obvious thought is why isn’t Finland part of NATO.”

Carson acknowledged there are varied opinions among Finnish people. She says most Finns in North America are in favour of the membership bid but they also, “don’t have the individual risk associated with this.”

— With files from AP

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 18, 2022.

Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press

News

Allen nets shutout as Devils burn Oilers 3-0

Published

7 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Anne Joseph

EDMONTON – Jake Allen made 31 saves for his second shutout of the season and 26th of his career as the New Jersey Devils closed out their Western Canadian road trip with a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.

Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Stefan Noesen and Timo Meier also scored for the Devils (8-5-2) who have won three of their last four on the heels on a four-game losing skid.

The Oilers (6-6-1) had their modest two-game winning streak snapped.

Calvin Pickard made 13 stops between the pipes for Edmonton.

TAKEAWAYS

Devils: In addition to his goal, Bratt picked up his 12th assist of the young season to give him nine points in his last eight games and now 15 points overall. Nico Hischier remains in the team lead, picking up an assist of his own to give him 16 points for the campaign. He has a point in all but four games this season.

Oilers: Forward Leon Draisaitl was held pointless after recording six points in his previous two games and nine points in his previous four. Draisaitl usually has strong showings against the Devils, coming into the contest with an eight-game point streak against New Jersey and 11 goals in 17 games.

KEY MOMENT

New Jersey took a 2-0 lead on the power play with 3:26 remaining in the second period as Hischier made a nice feed into the slot to Bratt, who wired his third of the season past Pickard.

KEY RETURN?

Oilers star forward and captain Connor McDavid took part in the optional morning skate for the Oilers, leading to hopes that he may be back sooner rather than later. McDavid has been expected to be out for two to three weeks with an ankle injury suffered during the first shift of last Monday’s loss in Columbus.

OILERS DEAL FOR D-MAN

The Oilers have acquired defenceman Ronnie Attard from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenceman Ben Gleason.

The 6-foot-3 Attard has spent the past three season in the Flyers organization seeing action in 29 career games. The 25-year-old right-shot defender and Western Michigan University grad was originally selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Attard will report to the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.

UP NEXT

Devils: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.

Oilers: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2024.

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Mahomes throws 3 TD passes, unbeaten Chiefs beat Buccaneers 30-24 in OT

Published

7 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Anne Joseph

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns, and Kareem Hunt pounded into the end zone from two yards out in overtime to give the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs a 30-24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night.

DeAndre Hopkins had two touchdown receptions for the Chiefs (8-0), who drove through the rain for two fourth-quarter scores to take a 24-17 lead with 4:17 left. But then Kansas City watched as Baker Mayfield led the Bucs the other way in the final minute, hitting Ryan Miller in the end zone with 27 seconds to go in regulation time.

Tampa Bay (4-5) elected to kick the extra point and force overtime, rather than go for a two-point conversion and the win. And it cost the Buccaneers when Mayfield called tails and the coin flip was heads. Mahomes and the Chiefs took the ball, he was 5-for-5 passing on their drive in overtime, and Hunt finished his 106-yard rushing day with the deciding TD plunge.

Travis Kelce had 14 catches for 100 yards with girlfriend Taylor Swift watching from a suite, and Hopkins finished with eight catches for 86 yards as the Chiefs ran their winning streak to 14 dating to last season. They became the sixth Super Bowl champion to start 8-0 the following season.

Mayfield finished with 200 yards and two TDs passing for the Bucs, who have lost four of their last five.

It was a memorable first half for two players who had been waiting to play in Arrowhead Stadium.

The Bucs’ Rachaad White grew up about 10 minutes away in a tough part of Kansas City, but his family could never afford a ticket for him to see a game. He wound up on a circuitous path through Division II Nebraska-Kearney and a California junior college to Arizona State, where he eventually became of a third-round pick of Tampa Bay in the 2022 draft.

Two year later, White finally got into Arrowhead — and the end zone. He punctuated his seven-yard scoring run in the second quarter, which gave the Bucs a 7-3 lead, by nearly tossing the football into the second deck.

Then it was Hopkins’ turn in his first home game since arriving in Kansas City from a trade with the Titans.

The three-time All-Pro, who already had caught four passes, reeled in a third-down heave from Mahomes amid triple coverage for a 35-yard gain inside the Tampa Bay five-yard line. Three plays later, Mahomes found him in the back of the end zone, and Hopkins celebrated his first TD with the Chiefs with a dance from “Remember the Titans.”

Tampa Bay tried to seize control with consecutive scoring drives to start the second half. The first ended with a TD pass to Cade Otton, the latest tight end to shred the Chiefs, and Chase McLaughlin’s 47-yard field goal gave the Bucs a 17-10 lead.

The Chiefs answered in the fourth quarter. Mahomes marched them through the rain 70 yards for a tying touchdown pass, which he delivered to Samaje Perine while landing awkwardly and tweaking his left ankle, and then threw a laser to Hopkins on third-and-goal from the Buccaneers’ five-yard line to give Kansas City the lead.

Tampa Bay promptly went three-and-out, but its defence got the ball right back, and this time Mayfield calmly led his team down field. His capped the drive with a touchdown throw to Miller — his first career TD catch — with 27 seconds to go, and Tampa Bay elected to play for overtime.

UP NEXT

Buccaneers: Host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Chiefs: Host the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

—

AP NFL:

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NHL roundup: Kuemper helps visiting Kings shut out Predators 3-0

Published

7 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Anne Joseph

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Darcy Kuemper made 16 saves for his first shutout of the season and 32nd overall, helping the Los Angeles Kings beat the Nashville Predators 3-0 on Monday night.

Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist and Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala also scored. The Kings have won two of their last three.

Juuse Saros made 24 saves for the Predators. They are 1-2-1 in their last four.

Kopitar opened the scoring with 6:36 remaining in the opening period. Saros denied the Kings captain’s first shot, but Kopitar collected the rebound below the goal line and banked it off the netminder’s skate.

Fiala, a former Predator, made it 2-0 35 seconds into the third.

The Kings held Nashville to just three third-period shots on goal, the first coming with 3:55 remaining and Saros pulled for an extra attacker.

Elsewhere in the NHL on Monday:

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DEVILS 3 OILERS 0

EDMONTON, Alta. (AP) — Jake Allen made 31 saves for his second shutout of the season and 26th of his NHL career, helping the New Jersey Devils close their western Canadian road trip with a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Stefan Noesen and Timo Meier also scored. The Devils improved to 8-5-2. They have won three of their last four after a four-game skid.

Calvin Pickard made 13 saves for Edmonton. The Oilers had won two straight.

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