January 17, 2010
[CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY]
Thank you Minister Cannon,
I too would like to extend my sympathies to the family and friends of two brave Canadians who died while serving their country.
In Afghanistan, Sergeant John Wayne Faught was killed yesterday by an improvised explosive device while conducting a dismounted security patrol 15 kilometres from Kandahar City.
Sergeant Faught was from the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, base in Edmonton, Alberta.
He was 44.
RCMP Officer Doug Coates was found yesterday in Haiti.
Officer Coates was a dedicated and honourable member of the RCMP and that he will be sorely missed by his family and friends.
The situation in Haiti is grave.
A lack of basic needs such as food and clean water are causing stress and anger among the local population.
Infrastructure issues and a lack of mobility are challenges which relief efforts must overcome.
The Government of Canada feels it has a moral imperative to do everything in its power to help with international relief and stabilization efforts in that country.
For this reason, the Prime Minister has approved my request to send approximately 1000 additional CF personnel to Haiti.
Beginning next week, members from Canadian Forces Base Valcartier will begin deploying to Haiti.
These troops are being placed under the command of an experienced and highly-qualified military commander, Brigadier-General Guy Laroche.
Brigadier-General Laroche will make an assessment of what is needed most urgently on the ground and utilize the personnel provided for those tasks.
Once all our assets, platforms and personnel are in place, General Laroche will approximately 2000 Canadian Forces personnel, hundreds of vehicles, seven helicopters and two ships under his command.
Daily transport of personnel, equipment and supplies will be done by way of C-17 and C-130 aircraft.
The military, under Government of Canada direction, is pursuing a full-court press to get into theatre and effect change for Haitians.
HMCS Halifax and HMCS Athabaskan will arrive off the coast of Haiti early next week.
There are approximately 500 personnel on these two ships.
Two Griffon helicopters left Canada yesterday and fly to Haiti over the course of 3 – 4 days.
Another two Griffon helicopters will depart Monday for the 3 – 4 day flight to Haiti.
Three water purification units will leave 8 Wing Trenton today.
Light utility vehicles, G-wagons, medical personnel and medical supplies and additional DART personnel continue to fly into theatre.
Indeed, elements of the DART are in place in theatre but Op HESTIA is bigger than a typical DART mission.
The DART encompasses approximately 200 personnel, deploys for 30 – 40 days and concentrates its resources on water purification, medical treatment and light engineering projects.
The tasks undertaken by a DART mission will be of critical importance to the success of Canadian Forces activities in theatre.
However, the sheer size of Op HESTIA, coupled with our incoming naval presence, gives Canada an ability to provide relief to a greater number of Haitians than just the DART.
I salute General Walt Natynczyk and the entire defence community for their efficient, effective deployment of personnel, equipment and supplies.
As I mentioned on Friday, the speed with which the military was able to manoeuvre into Haiti is, in my view, unprecedented.
That same urgency is being applied to our ground efforts in Haiti.
Thank you.
