Transcript
(Jeff) HMCS Regina and Winnipeg are currently in the waters off the coast of the Hawaiian archipelago participating in Exercise Rim of the Pacific, or “RIMPAC”.
On August fifteenth, two days before the official start of RIMPAC, the task group commemorated the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Pacific War with an at-sea ceremony.
We spoke to Task Group Commander, Capt(N) Scott Robinson about this historic date which marks the end of the Second World War.
(SR) As many people know, the Royal Canadian Navy had a significant impact on the Battle of the Atlantic, focusing on the European and North Atlantic theatres during the Second World War. That being said, once Germany surrendered, we essentially retooled and put our focus on the Pacific. Fortunately, however, the end of the Second World War occurred in August 1945 before the full weight of the Canadian Armed Forces, in that case the Royal Canadian Navy at the time, could come to bear to support the Pacific Theatre.
One lesson we learned from the Second World War is our ability to work with others, especially our close friends and allies. And during RIMPAC 2020 we essentially are doing that, making sure we foster important relationships with those friends and allies. So in the event that there is a conflict in the future, we have already worked together, we have trust, the relationship already solidified so we can work together seamlessly.
Due to the COVID outbreak, obviously they had to reduce the scope of this to ensure we maintained health protective measures throughout the exercise. So effectively, it’s a sea-based exercise with the Royal Canadian Navy participation and this year it’s with our two frigates and Cyclone helicopter air detachments. So they’ll be no interaction with personnel ashore this year and most importantly, we are bringing several nations together for RIMPAC 2020 to continue to operate together, build those relationships and build trust in the event that one day if we have to be called upon to respond to a crisis or anything around the globe, we’ve already done that and we’re ready to do it.