OTTAWA – Canada will host Exercise Precise Response at Defence R&D Canada – Suffield (DRDC Suffield), Alberta, from July 16 – 28, 2006. This exercise is part of ongoing NATO Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) defence training, aimed at further developing NATO’s capacity for the detection, identification, sampling and decontamination of CBRN agents.
With this exercise, Canada continues to honour commitments made at the 2002 NATO Summit in Prague, providing our NATO allies a safe and secure site for CBRN training. Building on the experience gained through a similar NATO exercise held at DRDC Suffield in 2003, Exercise Precise Response will include training in command and control, laboratory, and sampling exercises using biological stimulant, live chemical agent and radiological sources.
All training will be done under the supervision of DRDC Suffield staff, in strictly controlled conditions, with thorough safety controls to ensure there is no threat to the participants or the local population and no harm to the environment.
“We are proud to welcome our NATO allies to DRDC Suffield staff. It is an outstanding training facility, well suited to host this important multinational exercise,” said Gordon O’Connor, Minister of National Defence. “This exercise is a good example of how Canada and our allies can work together to strengthen our defence against chemical, biological and radiological attacks, an important capability in today’s security environment,” added General Rick Hillier, the Chief of the Defence Staff.
Exercise Precise Response will involve approximately 150 participants from six NATO countries and additional evaluators, observers and NATO officials.
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Note to Editors: A media day will be held at DRDC Suffield on July 26, 2006. A media advisory with further details is attached.
