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Fr. today's Halifax Herald
http://www.herald.ns.ca/
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Will sail on U.S request for aid
By MICHAEL LIGHTSTONE / Staff Reporter
Canadian warships from Halifax and a Dartmouth-based coast guard vessel are being prepared to leave on a relief mission to the hurricane-stricken Gulf of Mexico states.
A destroyer, two frigates and the CCGS Sir William Alexander will be ready to sail Tuesday, navy officials said Friday in Halifax. The ships will carry goods and personnel such as small craft, helicopters, divers, engineers and transformers.
About 1,000 sailors will be part of Operation Union, navy brass told a waterfront news conference. Officials were short on details, saying the humanitarian mission was still being planned and the Canadians may not know their specific tasks until they reach the Gulf Coast.
The mission's command-and-control ship, HMCS Athabaskan, will be joined by the frigates HMCS Toronto and HMCS Ville de Quebec.
"We're going to work with the U.S. navy and the United States Coast Guard . . . and we're going to do what's necessary," said Rear Admiral Dan McNeil, commander of Joint Task Force Atlantic.
The deployment is in response to devastation caused by hurricane Katrina, which struck parts of the southern United States on Monday. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people have been killed by the storm and survivors in several areas are in dire straits.
Washington has declared a public health emergency along the Gulf Coast. Many areas are uninhabitable and looting and other lawlessness is increasing in New Orleans.
Rear Admiral McNeil said loading of relief supplies will continue throughout the Labour Day weekend.
Naval staff "are still talking with our counterparts down in the United States" about what sort of help is required.
The 83-metre Sir William Alexander will carry fast-rescue craft, landing craft and a small helicopter. Three Sea King helicopters will be part of the navy's contingent.
Rear Admiral McNeil said the Canadian task force will stay in the Gulf area as long as it's needed.
"Time is of the essence," he said.
"We need to get there and we need to help out as much as possible on the front end."
Commander of the task group is Commodore Dean McFadden. He told reporters at HMC Dockyard the vessels are staffed with capable people and will be packed with emergency goods.
"Every one of the ships that we're going to take with us is a small city in its own right, with lots of capacity that a small city would have," said Commodore McFadden. "The specific jobs that we're going to do - I'll wait until the Americans tell us what help they need."
Rear Admiral McNeil said the task group will be under Canadian command, "but the direction, in terms of what needs to be done, will be under the American guidance."
Asked about the daunting challenge that lies ahead, he said: "It's very difficult. But we do the difficult."
Nova Scotia New Democrats are encouraging Ottawa to unleash "a more urgent and robust response" to the disaster. An NDP release said Canada could provide aid such as water quality experts, infrastructure repair and French-speaking relief workers needed in Louisiana or elsewhere.
"Many of our residents have family connections in that area and will want to see both the federal and provincial governments do whatever they can," the release said.
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http://www.herald.ns.ca/
--
Will sail on U.S request for aid
By MICHAEL LIGHTSTONE / Staff Reporter
Canadian warships from Halifax and a Dartmouth-based coast guard vessel are being prepared to leave on a relief mission to the hurricane-stricken Gulf of Mexico states.
A destroyer, two frigates and the CCGS Sir William Alexander will be ready to sail Tuesday, navy officials said Friday in Halifax. The ships will carry goods and personnel such as small craft, helicopters, divers, engineers and transformers.
About 1,000 sailors will be part of Operation Union, navy brass told a waterfront news conference. Officials were short on details, saying the humanitarian mission was still being planned and the Canadians may not know their specific tasks until they reach the Gulf Coast.
The mission's command-and-control ship, HMCS Athabaskan, will be joined by the frigates HMCS Toronto and HMCS Ville de Quebec.
"We're going to work with the U.S. navy and the United States Coast Guard . . . and we're going to do what's necessary," said Rear Admiral Dan McNeil, commander of Joint Task Force Atlantic.
The deployment is in response to devastation caused by hurricane Katrina, which struck parts of the southern United States on Monday. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people have been killed by the storm and survivors in several areas are in dire straits.
Washington has declared a public health emergency along the Gulf Coast. Many areas are uninhabitable and looting and other lawlessness is increasing in New Orleans.
Rear Admiral McNeil said loading of relief supplies will continue throughout the Labour Day weekend.
Naval staff "are still talking with our counterparts down in the United States" about what sort of help is required.
The 83-metre Sir William Alexander will carry fast-rescue craft, landing craft and a small helicopter. Three Sea King helicopters will be part of the navy's contingent.
Rear Admiral McNeil said the Canadian task force will stay in the Gulf area as long as it's needed.
"Time is of the essence," he said.
"We need to get there and we need to help out as much as possible on the front end."
Commander of the task group is Commodore Dean McFadden. He told reporters at HMC Dockyard the vessels are staffed with capable people and will be packed with emergency goods.
"Every one of the ships that we're going to take with us is a small city in its own right, with lots of capacity that a small city would have," said Commodore McFadden. "The specific jobs that we're going to do - I'll wait until the Americans tell us what help they need."
Rear Admiral McNeil said the task group will be under Canadian command, "but the direction, in terms of what needs to be done, will be under the American guidance."
Asked about the daunting challenge that lies ahead, he said: "It's very difficult. But we do the difficult."
Nova Scotia New Democrats are encouraging Ottawa to unleash "a more urgent and robust response" to the disaster. An NDP release said Canada could provide aid such as water quality experts, infrastructure repair and French-speaking relief workers needed in Louisiana or elsewhere.
"Many of our residents have family connections in that area and will want to see both the federal and provincial governments do whatever they can," the release said.
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