Canadian warships depart for Indo-Pacific operation, fulfilling promise to increase naval presence in region
The Canadian military is delivering on its promise to increase the number of warships deployed annually to the Indo-Pacific region from two ships to three, starting this summer.
Royal Canadian Navy frigates HMCS Ottawa and HMCS Vancouver left Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, west of Victoria, on Monday.
The ships will be accompanied by naval supply vessel Asterix and a pair of Royal Canadian Air Force Cyclone helicopters on their nearly five-month deployment.
Former defence minister Anita Anand announced in June that Canada would enhance its presence in the Indo-Pacific region with the deployment of one additional warship annually to the region under Operation Horizon, which replaces the longstanding Operation Projection.
The deployment follows the March deployment of HMCS Montreal to the Indo-Pacific region from Halifax, marking the first time a Canadian warship was deployed to the Indo-Pacific region from the East Coast.
HMCS Montreal is due to return to Halifax in September.
Last fall, the federal government announced it was investing nearly $2.3 billion over five years to forge closer ties with countries in the region as part of its Indo-Pacific strategy.
The funding included $493 million to bolster Canada's naval presence by deploying a third frigate and increasing participation in regional military exercises.
"The Indo-Pacific region is vital to global security, and its importance will only increase in the coming years," National Defence Minister Bill Blair said in a statement Monday.
"Through our Indo-Pacific strategy, Canada is significantly increasing its military presence in the region to support a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific where international rules prevail."
Each naval frigate carries a crew of approximately 240 personnel, while the Asterix carries a crew of about 150 civilian and military personnel.
The ships are expected to participate in a series of bilateral and multinational exercises, with HMCS Ottawa operating in Southeast Asia while HMCS Vancouver focuses on Northeast Asia.
HMCS Vancouver will also contribute to the longstanding Operation Neon, Canada's contribution to United Nations sanctions enforcement and monitoring activities against North Korea.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Guilty: Trump becomes first former U.S. president convicted of felony crimes
Donald Trump became the first former American president to be convicted of felony crimes Thursday as a New York jury found him guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex.
Can Trump come to Canada now that he's a convicted felon?
A Canadian immigration lawyer says now that Donald Trump is a convicted felon, he is technically barred from crossing the border into Canada.
Montreal tech billionaire charged with several sex offences
Robert Miller was charged Thursday with several sexual assault charges after Montreal police reopened an investigation into the tech billionaire.
Police: 3 killed, including suspected gunman, in Minneapolis shooting
Three people, including the suspected gunman, are dead after a shooting Thursday at a Minneapolis apartment complex, police said.
'Why didn't they stop?' Mom asks of driver in hit-and-run crash that killed son
The mother of a 13-year-old boy who was killed in a hit-and-run in Edmonton is begging the driver to come forward.
The northern lights are returning to night skies across Canada this Friday
If you missed the brilliant displays of the aurora borealis over North America on May 10, you may have another chance to see them on Friday night.
A pair enjoyed pricey meals and bolted when it was time to pay. Their dine and dash ended in jail
A Welsh couple who dined out on pricey meals and bolted when the bill came is now paying the price, behind bars.
$400K in damages for B.C. woman who had unnecessary mastectomy was 'inordinately high,' court finds
A jury's award of $400,000 to a woman who had a mastectomy after being misdiagnosed with breast cancer has been substantially reduced by B.C.'s highest court, which found the damages were "wholly disproportionate."