National

Canada in talks about adding forces to Europe

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 02 Feb, 2022 03:33 PM

OTTAWA - Defence Minister Anita Anand says the government believes in the importance of bolstering NATO’s eastern flank in response to Russia’s military buildup, and that discussions are underway around increasing Canada's military presence in eastern Europe.

Yet even as the United States became the latest NATO member to commit more forces to the region with the deployment of 3,000 additional troops to Europe, Anand is declining to say when a Canadian decision could come.

Anand made the comments in an interview with The Canadian Press from Latvia, her last stop on a three-country tour that included visits to Ukraine and NATO headquarters in Brussels to discuss the military alliance’s standoff with Russia.

I met today with Latvia’s Prime Minister, @krisjaniskarins. Canada was the first G7 country to recognize the restoration of Latvia's independence in 1991, and one of the first countries to ratify Latvia's accession to @NATO. We stand in solidarity with our Latvian allies. pic.twitter.com/XoHRm4Td6V
— Anita Anand (@AnitaAnandMP) February 2, 2022

Canada has about 600 troops leading a NATO battlegroup in Latvia tasked with defending against any Russian attack, along with around 200 military trainers in Ukraine.

While Russian President Vladimir Putin has blamed NATO for the tensions, Anand accuses the Kremlin of starting this latest crisis and says it is up to Russia to ease the situation.

Anand says one of her aims while in Europe was to reassure friends and allies that Canada continues to stand shoulder to shoulder with them, even as she consulted on what more is needed in the region.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

How to prove you're vaccinated enough to fly

All provinces and territories have agreed to conform their proof-of-vaccine documents, or COVID-19 vaccine passports, to a national standard so that they can be used for international and domestic travel. The idea is that the standardized document will make it easier for travel authorities domestically and abroad to verify the vaccine status of Canadians.

How to prove you're vaccinated enough to fly

Cash stash found in donated clothing: Surrey RCMP

On September 10, 2021, a substantial amount of cash was found in a box of clothing that had been donated to a thrift store located in the 10600 block of King George Boulevard. The employee who located the cash suspected it was inadvertently donated, so they turned it into police.

Cash stash found in donated clothing: Surrey RCMP

Charges approved against 4 people including Harman Parmar in kidnapping investigation: VPD

On September 8, four suspects kidnapped the victim from a vehicle at gunpoint in Richmond, B.C. The victim suffered significant, but non-life threatening injures after being assaulted and restrained.

Charges approved against 4 people including Harman Parmar in kidnapping investigation: VPD

Vulnerable industries must accept change is coming

The Canadian Institute for Climate Choices is warning in its publication Sink or Swim, that if these industries and federal and provincial governments don't acknowledge that change is coming and prepare for it, there could be devastating consequences.

Vulnerable industries must accept change is coming

Canadians largely content with democracy: survey

The new Pew Research Center survey found 66 per cent of respondents in Canada were satisfied with how democracy is working, while 33 per cent said otherwise. Only Singapore, Sweden and New Zealand scored higher on the satisfaction scale.

Canadians largely content with democracy: survey

Doctors group calls on B.C. to amend COVID-19 plan

The group, called Protect our Province B.C., is made up of a range of doctors and medical researchers, and held a panel discussion Wednesday highlighting how the virus is spread through aerosol transmission.