Smol: Canada is Weak in the Arctic

By: Robert Smol, CBC Opinions 

Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent boast of possessing an arsenal of undetectable nuclear weapons has not really had material effect on geo-political relations — yet. North American and European preoccupation of late has been less on Russia's military procurement than on the acute issue of the nerve agent attack on an ex-spy in the U.K.

On Monday, Canada and the U.S. both announced it would be expelling diplomats from its borders in response to the attack.

But despite this recent action, this country continues to bask in that ever-so-Canadian sense of delusion when it comes to understanding our place in a potential future Russian-American standoff. And while I do not want to sound like those old-fashioned "Russians are Coming" harbingers of hype, it is important that we take careful stock of our strategic military options in the case of a superpower spat — or worse.

For starters, the notion of a neutral, peaceful demilitarized Canada is a delusion. Whether we like it or not, Canada is perfectly placed to be the battleground of choice in a future conflict: we share a long and long-disputed Arctic border with an increasingly militaristic and hostile superpower.

Largely unpopulated, open and scantily defended, Canada's Arctic is the safest and shortest line of attack and counterattack in a potential conflict. To think that Russians, North Koreans or Americans will decide, out of courtesy, to hang a detour around the second-largest country in the world is dangerously naïve and irresponsible. And the United States will not necessarily protect Canada in the case of a ballistic missile attack, as Canada's senior officer in Norad reminded us last year.

We know that Russia is rather unabashedly building up its military presence in the Arctic. There are at least 18 recently constructed or upgraded Russian military bases along the Russian-Canadian Arctic border, along with its sizeable air force, nuclear submarines and 40 operational icebreakers with more under construction.

In terms of Canadian military assets in the region, we maintain a small signals intelligence facility on Ellesmere Island (CFS Alert), which is manned by approximately 60 personnel — not all of whom are serving military. In Yellowknife, Joint Task Force North maintains a small headquarters staff of approximately 70 personnel, with an area support unit of 50.
Boots in the snow

The Royal Canadian Air Force is represented in the region by a non-combat utility transport squadron flying four small CC-138 Twin Otter aircraft that came into operation around the time our prime minister was born. And apart from the southern Canada-based soldiers who occasionally stick their heads into the Arctic for short exercises, there is no permanent "boots in the snow" combat establishment ready to deal with a violation of our territory.

Meanwhile, the closest thing to a ground force on the Canadian side consists of a series of patrols of minimally trained reserve auxiliaries, The Canadian Rangers, who each receive all of 10 days training and are still carrying vintage World War II rifles.

Our government might try to assure us that the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship project, which is currently under construction, will provide a deterrent to possible Russian aggression. But the minimal armament for these boats will place these ships in a "constabulary role," according to the Royal Canadian Navy. Translation: they are not going into battle.

The hull assembly of Canada's first AOPS. This ship is not going into battle, writes Robert Smol. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)

We might tell ourselves that the specially trained Russian soldiers, warships and fighter bomber aircraft that are now rigorously training on bases such as Sredny Ostrov, Alexandra Land and Nagurskoye near ourdisputed northern border have no nefarious intentions, at least when it comes to Canada. But they are there, armed and ready, on our disputed border. So the question is: what are their intentions?

Just how much longer can we pretend that our strategically important and resource-rich Arctic will remain secure? Can we really afford to delude ourselves into thinking that our projection of ourselves as a "peacekeeping nation" will be enough for the superpowers to both respect Canada's claims to the Arctic and sidestep our territory in the event of war?

As time goes on, and other nations continue to stake their claim on the Arctic, the answer may soon not be ours to make.

Robert Smol served over 20 years in the Canadian Armed Forces. He is currently a teacher and freelance writer in Toronto.

This column is part of CBC's Opinion section. For more information about this section, please read this editor's blog and our FAQ.

Ottawa Quietly Expands CAF Footprint in Ukraine

By: Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press

The military has quietly expanded its footprint in Ukraine, giving commanders free rein to send their troops anywhere — except where they might run into Russian forces or separatist rebels.

Canada first deployed about 200 troops to Ukraine in the summer of 2015 to help train government forces in their fight against Russian-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country.

But the Canadians were required to stay in the western half of Ukraine, far from the conflict that has continued to rage over the intervening two years, leaving more than 10,000 people dead.

Those restrictions were eased in March when the government extended the mission for another two years, the mission’s commander, Lt.-Col. Mark Lubiniecki, said in an interview Wednesday.

While Canadian troops are still required to stay away from the border with Russia and the fighting in eastern Ukraine, he said, the rest of the country is now fair game.

The change, Lubiniecki added, has given welcome flexibility to the Canadian mission, which has so far trained nearly 4,500 Ukrainian troops, many of whom have since been sent into the conflict zone.

The number of Canadian soldiers in Ukraine remains the same.

Lubiniecki would not reveal how far his troops have to stay from the Russian border, except to say that it is far enough away to keep them safe and prevent anyone from misinterpreting they they are in Ukraine.

“We’re here to provide mentorship and training, we’re not here to be operating on the front line,” he said. “So making sure we maintain that buffer is extremely important for us.”

The training mission is set to expire in 2019.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights released a report this week on the conflict in eastern Ukraine, asserting that an end to the three-year-old war was nowhere to be seen.

Fighting continues to erupt despite the existence of a ceasefire, while more than 1.6 million people have been forced to flee their homes and another 3 million are struggling to make ends meet.

Canada’s presence in eastern Europe is actually set to expand over the next few months, as about 450 troops arrive in Latvia to lead a NATO force that will serve as a check on Russian aggression.

One of the concerns trumpeted by both Canadian and Latvian officials is that Russia, or at least pro-Russian agitators, will attempt to spread lies and false information about the mission there.

But Lubiniecki said his troops in Ukraine have so far been spared from any such information attacks, saying: “I’m just not seeing it (on the ground) right now.”

That applies to cyberattacks, as well.

Moscow and its separatist allies in eastern Ukraine aren’t the only threats that Kyiv is struggling to address: corruption is also one of several significant problems.

The Ukrainian military and its defence sector have not been spared, as outlined in recent months by various media reports as well as investigations by NGOs such as Transparency International.

Much of the concern has focused on whether Ukrainian government officials have been enriching themselves by skimming defence contracts or diverting equipment donated by countries like Canada.

Transparency International released a report last month saying improvements have been made, but more needs to be done to ensure foreign donations get to the Ukrainian troops who actually need it.

Canada has so far provided about $16-million in non-lethal equipment such as helmets, bulletproof vests and winter clothing to the Ukrainian military, and promised another $7.25-million by 2019.

Lubiniecki said he has not seen any evidence of corruption during his time in the country, and that the Ukrainian soldiers his troops are training are well equipped and motivated.

Russia Conducting Aerial Surveillance of CAF Bases via Post-Cold War Treaty

By: Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press 

OTTAWA – Russia is using a post-Cold War agreement to conduct an aerial surveillance mission over Canadian military facilities this week, even as relations between the two countries remain frosty.

The five-day mission started Tuesday and involves an unarmed Russian aircraft flying to different parts of the country to take photos of Canadian Forces bases and other military installations.

It is being conducted under the terms of the Treaty on Open Skies, which Canada, Russia and 32 other countries signed in 1992 to encourage trust and openness about each country’s military capabilities and activities.

National Defence spokesman Patricia Brunelle said in an email that the Canadian military will escort the Russians across the country to ensure they don’t stray beyond what is allowed in the treaty.

Canadian personnel will be aboard the plane during actual observation flights to, in part, “monitor imaging equipment, ensure adherence to the agreed flight route and profile, and provide oversight, guidance and assistance.”

National Defence would not say exactly which bases or installations the Russians would be flying over for security reasons, referring questions to the Russian Embassy in Ottawa.

READ MORE: Russia navy activity in Europe exceeds Cold War levels, says U.S. admiral

The embassy did not immediately return requests for comment.

Such flights aren’t uncommon, with Canada having conducted its own monitoring mission over Russia this past November.

But this mission comes at a time when relations between Moscow and the West, including Canada, have reached what U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently called “a low point.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called out the Kremlin earlier this month for supporting the Syrian government, which has been blamed for a chemical attack that killed more than 80 people on April 7.

WATCH: Canada sends strong message to Russia by extending Ukraine mission

More than 450 Canadian troops are also preparing to head to Latvia in the next few weeks, where they will lead a NATO force intended to check Russian aggression in eastern Europe.

And Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland remains on a list of individuals banned from visiting Russia, after Canada slapped the country with sanctions for annexing Crimea in 2014.

Brunelle said signatories are legally obligated to allow surveillance flights under the terms of the treaty, meaning the Russians don’t have to ask permission to undertake such a mission.

“The treaty is designed to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by providing all participants with the legal mechanism and technical means of acquiring, through direct observation, information about military forces and activities of concern to them,” Brunelle said.

“This is done as part of the confidence and security-building measures that are designed as a mechanism to reduce hostilities and tensions between nations.”

A number of agreements between Russia and the U.S. have been broken in recent months or are in danger of being broken, including a ban on cruise missiles in Europe and one treaty on nuclear disarmament.

“So the fact that we are still buying into these overflights is a good thing,” said Steve Saideman, a political scientist at Carleton University`s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs.

“And given our relations with the Russians today, we should be trying to support all the opportunities you can to address the lack of confidence and trust between the two sides.”

Russia suggests it wants thawed relations with Canada in Arctic

By: MIKE BLANCHFIELD, The Globe and Mail

A Russian politician who laments the decline of his country’s relations with Canada suggested Thursday that his homeland might be willing to play nice in its long-standing dispute over who controls the North Pole.

Igor Chernyshenko, a senator from the northern city of Murmansk, said Russia would respect any United Nations decision on who should control a swath of the Arctic seabed known as the Lomonosov Ridge, which extends across the North Pole.

Chernyshenko, who was at Carleton University in Ottawa for a conference on Canada-Russia relations, delivered the overture as an example of positive co-operation between two countries that have been at odds for nearly a decade.

The Russian embassy and Canada’s foreign ministry, Global Affairs Canada, organized the conference as an example of the Liberal government’s new foreign policy decision to re-engage with Russia because of its shared interest in the Arctic.

The previous Conservative government downgraded ties with Russia because of its unilateral annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region in 2014. In opposition, the Conservatives have vocally opposed the rapprochement, saying it represents “cosying up” to the “regime” of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Conservatives saw Russia’s Arctic ambitions as provocative, especially after the Russians planted a flag on the North Pole seabed in 2007.

The Liberals say it is time to move beyond that, citing the need to work with countries that have a shared interest in a frozen wasteland that’s rapidly thawing, leading to increased ship traffic, potential oil and gas exploration, as well as potential threats on the environment and security fronts.

Russia, Canada and Denmark have all filed competing territorial claims and it could take as long as 15 years for the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea to decide.

But the UN won’t have the final say because it will be up to the countries themselves to negotiate a settlement based on the assessment.

The visiting senator told that his country would negotiate the division of the territory, which researchers believe contains significant oil and gas deposits.

“We recognize international law and after the UN Commission makes its decision, Canada and Russia will positively decide on how to divide that up,” Chernyshenko said through an interpreter.

He lamented the decline in trade between the two countries, which has shrunk since ties were downgraded and Canada joined its allies in imposing sanctions.

“This is very sad.”

Russia’s envoy to Canada says the renewed Arctic co-operation could be the spark that reignites relations on a broader level, including possible co-operation on fighting terrorism, and deeper business ties.

“It’s very good our bilateral dialogue has been re-launched. Canada’s self-imposed isolation from Russia is over,” Alexander Darchiev, the Russian ambassador, said in an interview.

Not so fast, said Joseph Pickerill, a spokesman for Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion.

“Russian and Canadian companies are free to pursue commercial opportunities in one another’s markets so long as their undertakings are in compliance with Canada’s sanctions regime,” Pickerill said in an email.

“However, our diplomatic re-engagement does not mean it is ’business as usual’ with Russia.”

Indeed, Canadian co-operation with Russia will have to be confined to the Arctic because of major differences on Ukraine and Russia’s backing of the Assad regime in Syria, said Whitney Lackenbauer, a St. Jerome’s University historian.

Military co-operation between the two countries is also a long way off, which means no Russian observation of Canadian military operations in the North or renewed meetings between their defence chiefs.

Any characterization of the two countries “as great partners, great friends, is not going to be appropriate,” he said.

University of British Columbia international law professor Michael Byers said Russia and Canada are capable of settling territorial disputes and working together on shared interests in the North, including dealing with challenges that will come with more shipping traffic.

The Russians are anxious to find partners in the Arctic because their economy has been “pummelled” by sanctions and the decline in world oil prices, Byers said.

“The Russians are desperate to see sanctions lifted. In that context, they’re very eager to improve relations in any domain.”

NATO a 'cold-war relic,' according to Russian ambassador

By: Laura Payton, CTV News 

OTTAWA -- Russia's ambassador to Canada says NATO is deploying in eastern Europe to justify its existence in a post-Soviet world.

Alexander Darchiev says Canada is a sovereign country that can make its own choices, but he doesn't believe NATO should be moving additional troops into countries that border Russia.

"NATO is irrelevant. It's cold-war relic, which desperately needs rationale for its continued existence," Darchiev said in an interview with Evan Solomon, host of CTV's Question Period.

"If you want [to] divert your resources for [a] NATO build-up, that's the sovereign choice of Canada," he said.

NATO started reinforcing itself in countries like Lithuania and Poland in 2014, after Russia captured Crimea, a pro-Russia part of Ukraine. NATO called the takeover illegal, although Russia termed it a reunification.

Canada is set to command a 1,000-person battle group in Latvia early in the new year, including 450 Canadian Forces members, following nearly two years of military exercises and training in central and eastern Europe.

The Russian ambassador says the only way to achieve peace in Ukraine is for both sides to negotiate.

"The major self-deception for the west is to believe there is a Russian aggression. There is no Russian aggression," Darchiev said, calling the conflict in Ukraine a civil war.

"[The] NATO buildup is a national security concern. We are open for dialogue, but we sincerely believe it's not good for European security," he added.

Russian email hack? 'Definite' no

Darchiev praised U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's win nearly two weeks ago as "a victory of common sense and pragmatism," but said Russia had nothing to do with the email hacks that revealed messages of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's top campaign officials. American intelligence officials, including the FBI, said it was Russian government hackers who stole thousands of emails from the Democratic National Committee and other officials.

"No. We have a definite answer on that," Darchiev said when asked if Russia was behind the hacks, which saw the documents made public by Wikileaks.

"Due to Edward Snowden, we now know that NSA capabilities are unmatched in imposing global surveillance, in bugging smart phones and in eavesdropping [on] even closest allies," he said, referring to the former National Security Agency contractor who revealed the NSA's mass surveillance program.

The Russian official said his country didn't interfere in the American election.

"All elections are domestic. It's about jobs, it's about discontent of the middle class so no foreign power could ever influence election in a super power," he said.

Ukraine warns Canada not to trust Russian co-operation over Arctic

By: Steven Chase, Globe and Mail 

A senior Ukrainian envoy is warning a thaw in diplomatic relations between Canada and Russia will primarily benefit Vladimir Putin – a caution that came as relations abruptly deteriorated between Moscow and Washington on Monday over Syria and nuclear arsenals.

Vadym Prystaiko, deputy foreign minister of Ukraine, is visiting Ottawa this week to discuss the future of his country, where Russia has controlled the Crimean peninsula since 2014, and bankrolls pro-Moscow militants that have destabilized eastern Ukraine.

Mr. Prystaiko, a former Ukrainian ambassador to Canada, said Kiev is grateful for all Canadians have done for his country, but is not happy to see the Trudeau government resume co-operation with Russia over the Arctic.

Canada and Russia are members of the Arctic Council, but the former Conservative government suspended all but low-level discussions with Moscow after the country annexed Crimea.

The Liberals announced last week that Canada and Russia will host an Arctic conference in Ottawa in November, saying shunning Moscow was an “irrationality” and illogical given that “between us we control 75 per cent of the North.” Foreign Minister Stéphane Dion says Canada will continue to voice “profound disagreement” over Russia’s conduct in Ukraine, noting Ottawa has increased sanctions on Moscow since the Liberals took power.

Mr. Prystaiko said engaging with Russia chips away at the international isolation that has bedevilled Mr. Putin since he took over Crimea. Russia was ejected from the Group of Eight forum of major industrialized countries and faces damaging sanctions.

“The Arctic Council is another way where [the Russian President] can break through the worldwide political blockade,” the Ukraine envoy said. “The guy is going for something else than just … the fate of seals or spills of oil.”

The Ukrainian official warned Canada cannot trust any of Russia’s commitments at the Arctic Council.

“Any rapprochement with Russians, before they behave in a civilized way, is too premature,” Mr. Prystaiko said. “Whatever the forum ... we are talking to the aggressor.”

Mr. Prystaiko pointed to Mr. Putin’s announcement on Monday that Moscow will suspend a treaty with Washington on cleaning up weapons-grade plutonium.

“How can you believe in the Arctic Council or document signed with Russia if they would break any agreement?

Russia’s move came just before the United States announced it was suspending one-on-one talks with Moscow toward ending the violence in Syria. Washington accused Moscow of not living up to its commitments under a ceasefire agreement.

Mr. Putin issued a decree suspending an accord concluded in 2000 that had committed the United States and Russia to shrink their nuclear arsenals and dispose of surplus plutonium originally intended for use in nuclear weapons.

The Kremlin said it was taking that action in response to unfriendly acts by Washington.

Under the Conservatives, Ottawa sent military trainers to western Ukraine to help that country’s soldiers upgrade their skills for the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The deployment is slated to end in 2017, but Ukraine hopes the Liberals will extend the mission. Several years ago, Ottawa gave Ukraine $400-million in low-interest loans and has donated tonnes of non-lethal military equipment. Canada also recently concluded a free-trade agreement with Ukraine.

Pro-Russian militants retain control of a portion of eastern Ukraine where Mr. Prystaiko said Moscow posted 6,000 soldiers to lead and support the rebels. The ruble is a circulating currency in this region, he said, and Kiev charges that Russia has been stealing valuable factory equipment and metallurgical coal from the area.

Furthermore, the conflict has blocked the most direct route for Ukraine’s exports to Asia.

“Imagine the United States is [going after you] you with military force, cutting out all trade you have with the United States and then they will decide to block, for example, exports to China,” Mr. Prystaiko said. “We used to send all our exports to China through the railroads over the Russian territory. Now they are blocking exports.”

CAF Reconnaissance Team in Latvia

According to the Canadian Forces, a reconnaissance team is currently in Latvia to conduct initial assessments of the requirements necessary to establish and sustain a multinational NATO battle group there, according to Canadian military. The visit includes a series of briefings and activities with Latvian and other Allied officials.

The Canadian military is preparing to deploy troops and equipment to Latvia in 2017 “in order to lead a robust multinational NATO battlegroup,” the military stated.

The reconnaissance team, led by Commodore Brian Santarpia, is composed of members of the “Defence Team” specializing in the fields of operational planning, policy, military training, logistics, medical, signals and communications, transport, and finance, the Canadian Forces noted.

Canadian army pulls anti-tank missiles out of storage as tensions increase with Russia

By: David Pugliese, The Ottawa Citizen

As tensions increase with Russia, the Canadian military is pulling anti-tank missiles out of storage and will start distributing them to troops next year.

The Canadian Army had sold off most of its tube launched optically sighted wire guided (TOW) missiles and mothballed a few of the anti-tank weapons, assuming they would not be needed in the future.

But with Canada now stationing troops on Russia’s borders, soldiers will require the weapons to counter the Kremlin’s robust armoured forces, military sources say.

Brig.-Gen. Derek Macaulay, chief of staff for army strategy, confirmed the service is re-introducing the tripod-mounted missile system to all regular force infantry battalions.


“Each battalion will receive its complement of systems with all systems being fielded and deployable by summer 2017,” Macaulay said in a statement to the Ottawa Citizen. “We are not purchasing new systems at this time, but rather re-introducing what we had placed into preservation.”

The TOW missiles are designed to destroy armoured vehicles. Although the army has other weapons to deal with such targets, the TOW system is considered among the most effective. Its missile has a range of about 3,700 metres.

NATO has begun preparations for escalating from the Cold War into a hot one.

Courses for training troops on using the TOW system are now underway at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, N.B., the army noted.

Macaulay denied the move was related to the increase in tensions with Russia. The re-introduction of the weapons is “not in response to any external influence” but instead a decision to deal with a gap in a capability that is fundamental to how the army operates, he said.

It is not clear why such missiles were removed from service in the first place if they are so critical to how the army operates.

But the initiative comes as Canada and NATO turn up the heat militarily on Russia, prompting some observers to point out the West has started a new Cold War with the Kremlin.

NATO is establishing a more permanent and extensive troop presence on Russia’s borders and is sending thousands of soldiers to the region.

Canada recently announced it would deploy about 450 soldiers to Latvia as part of those efforts. It will also keep a warship in the region and contribute fighter jets at different times to the NATO mission.

Peggy Mason, a former security adviser to the Mulroney government, says the moves by the Liberals are further provoking an already tense situation.

“What we’re seeing is Justin Trudeau and his government continuing with the most disagreeable aspects of Stephen Harper’s foreign policy,” said Mason, president of the Rideau Institute in Ottawa.

“People didn’t vote for that. They voted for change.”

At the same time the Liberal government has appeared to have turned its back on talks with Russia, she added.

Chris Westdal, a former Canadian diplomat who was ambassador in both Russia and Ukraine, has said six months into his mandate, Global Affairs Minister Stephane Dion has not yet met his Russian counterpart.

The West has taken a hardl ine against Russia, prompted by Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s decision in 2014 to annex Crimea, once part of Ukraine. The Russians claim they acted to protect the predominately Russian-speaking population there. Western nations have also denounced Russia’s military support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

As a result, Western nations, including Canada, brought in economic sanctions against Russia as well as increasing their military presence in the region.

But those actions have only backfired, instead shoring up support for Putin among the Russian people who see NATO as closing in on their country’s borders, Mason argues.

Mikhail Gorbachev, the former Soviet leader who helped end the Cold War and who has been of critical of Putin, recently accused NATO of preparing for offensive operations against his country.

“NATO has begun preparations for escalating from the Cold War into a hot one,” he said. “All the rhetoric just yells of a desire almost to declare war on Russia.”

But NATO’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg denies the alliance is a threat to Russia.

“We do not want a new Cold War,” he said. “We do not want a new arms race. And we do not seek confrontation.”

NATO request that 1,000 Canadian troops be deployed in Eastern Europe

BY LEE BERTHIAUME, OTTAWA CITIZEN

OTTAWA — Eastern European NATO allies have been pressing Canada to deploy up to 1,000 soldiers into the region to bolster the alliance’s presence amid continued concerns about Russian aggression.

The Liberal government says it is looking “actively considering options.” However, Eastern European diplomats say Ottawa has so far been giving “contradictory” signals.

“One day we hear we might be pleased with what is coming,” one envoy told the Citizen Thursday, “and the next things do not look good at all.”

Members of 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment during NATO exercises on May 16, 2015 in Cincu, Romania

The allies’ request has been conveyed through diplomatic channels as well as political meetings between Canadian ministers and their NATO counterparts in recent months. Polish President Andrzej Duda raised the issue personally with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a visit to Ottawa in May.

Canada has had 220 soldiers in Poland since June 2014, three months after Russia annexed Crimea and began supporting separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. They are currently involved in a 10-day military exercise with 30,000 other NATO troops, the largest such exercise since the end of the Cold War.

NATO, however, wants to establish a new force in eastern Europe that would provide a bulwark against any further Russian expansion or aggression. The U.S., Britain and Germany have each promised 1,000 troops that will be stationed in different countries, but they need a fourth ally to step up.

If the request is approved by cabinet, one of Canada’s nine infantry battalions would rotate through Europe, serving between six and nine months before being replaced by another battalion.

Another possibility under discussion is for Canada to send an armoured reconnaissance unit to eastern Europe, a source in NATO said.

NATO has also requested that Canada keep a warship continuously on patrol in European waters and to continue from time to time to contribute CF-18 fighter jets to the Baltic Air Policing mission, which was set up after repeated violations of NATO air space by Russian aircraft.

A senior NATO diplomat told Reuters that other European allies are stretched thin because of operations in Africa, Afghanistan or at home, which is why Canada is being singled out.

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s spokeswoman, Jordan Owens, was non-committal when asked if Canada would contribute the requested troops. “As a committed NATO ally, Canada is‎ actively considering options to effectively contribute to NATO’s strengthened posture,” she said Thursday.

Discussions between Canada and the alliance are ongoing, diplomats told the Citizen on condition of anonymity, and a decision should be made before NATO leaders gather in Warsaw next month. Before that, however, the issue is expected to come up when Sajjan meets with other NATO defence ministers in Brussels next week.

Deploying so many soldiers overseas could be taxing for the Canadian Armed Forces given recent operational and budgetary pressures. Canada is ramping up its mission in Iraq to more than 800 personnel, including helicopters and other equipment. This is in addition to existing commitments in Europe.

At the same time, Canadian defence spending as a percentage of the economy has reached levels not seen in decades. This is despite NATO members having agreed in Wales two years ago to reverse the decline, and aim to spend two per cent of GDP on defence. Canada spends one per cent.

Eastern European NATO members, however, see the alliance force that Canada is being asked to support as essential for ensuring their security in the face of Russian aggression. Most are former Soviet states, and they worry that what is happening in Ukraine could also play out within their borders.

Canada previously had troops in Western Europe on a permanent basis during the Cold War, though most were returned home when the Soviet Union collapsed. The new force would be comprised of troops who would rotate through the region on a regular basis.

Despite not having a clear indication where the Liberal government was leaning, Eastern European diplomats said they were hopeful Canada would contribute the requested troops.

“I very much hope that by the time of NATO summit, it’s more clear and decisions will be taken at the summit that match our expectations,” said one. “I think Canada won’t let us down.”

With files from Postmedia News

Poland wants more CAF Troops to Deter Russian Aggression

By Jennifer Chevalier, CBC News

Poland's president says he hopes Canada will increase its military presence in his country in order to help deter Russian aggression.

In an interview with CBC News Network's Power & Politics, Andrzej Duda said it is "beyond any doubt" that Russia has an "expansionist, imperial policy," and he would like to see Canada increase its military personnel and equipment in Poland.

A CAF member looks on as a Polish soldier fires a C9 machine gun at the Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area in Poland during Operation REASSURANCE on March 15, 2016. (Photo: Master Corporal Andrew Davis, Operation REASSURANCE Land Task Force Imagery Technician)

Related:

Polish president urges NATO to bolster eastern flank
Boost military spending, former NATO commander says
Cold War-style hotline proposed

Western allies are considering sending about 4,000 additional troops to the Baltic states and Poland on a rotational basis. The move is being worked out ahead of a NATO conference in July, which Duda is hosting in Warsaw.

Asked if this number of troops would satisfy Poland's concern about Russian aggression, Duda said he would like to see more.

"This is a big group of soldiers," he said through a translator, adding, "I would like them to be joined by soldiers from other NATO member states … also by Canadian soldiers."

Canada has 220 troops stationed in Europe as part of NATO's Operation Reassurance. They are due to come home at the end of June. Duda is touring NATO member states to lobby for the troop increase ahead of the July summit.
Concerns over Polish democracy

Duda's request comes as the European Union has issued its own demands of Poland.

Since its election last year, the conservative Law and Justice Party has been criticized for attempting to rein in the Polish Constitutional Court.

After it took power, Duda's government refused to seat judges appointed by the previous government, appointing its own judges instead. It later amended legislation to effectively curtail the power of the top court.

The issue has led to ongoing protests in Poland. Tens of thousands took to the streets in Warsaw this past weekend.

The ruling party has also been accused of taking control of the country's public media. Poland's treasury minister is now in charge of hiring — and firing — public TV and radio management.

Last month, the EU called on Poland's government to respect democracy. Members of the European Parliament passed a resolution saying the paralysis of the country's top court poses a danger to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
Political conflicts

Duda rejects the accusations that Poland's democracy is crumbling. He concedes there is a "political conflict" over the constitutional court, but nothing more sinister than that. Rather, he says it's the opposition party that is disappointed by its recent loss of power that is trying to use its connections in the European Parliament to stir up trouble.

"They are using that influence. Very often they are depicting the situation in our country in a false way," Duda said.

"The fact that people are free to demonstrate, the fact that nobody interferes with the demonstrations, the fact that there is absolute freedom of speech, this is a testament to the democratic system in Poland," Duda said.

When asked if NATO member states could put pressure on Poland to respect the rule of law in return for the military presence it is requesting, Duda insists these are two separate issues.

He said that on the one hand, "temporary political conflict … is just normal in every democratic state." On the other hand is military security, which Duda characterizes as much more important.

"Political disputes like the one we're going through in Poland are just temporary and passing," he said. "I don't think that wise politicians would like to combine these two things in any way."
Meeting Trudeau

Duda met Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday to discuss security and trade issues. The Prime Minister's Office did not respond by the time of publication when asked if Trudeau brought up the EU's rebuke of Poland over democracy concerns.

Duda, 43, said he had "a very good conversation" with Trudeau. They had met briefly at the nuclear security summit in Washington in March, where Trudeau noted that with Duda attending, he was no longer the youngest leader in the room.

"I think we have a similar view of the world," Duda said of Trudeau. "Of course we might differ in our views, but we have this young outlook on the world. We try to look very far into the future, both of us."

8 Arctic Countries to Sign Coast Guard Treaty

Article Written by By Bob Weber, The Canadian Press

All eight Arctic nations — including Canada and Russia — are to sign a historic deal next week for their coast guards to work together in the treacherous and increasingly accessible waters of the North.

Creating the Arctic Coast Guard Forum is considered a significant step forward for international co-operation in the region and will flesh out previous search and rescue agreements.

"(The forum) will be an operationally focused organization that strengthens maritime co-operation and co-ordination in the Arctic," said an emailed statement from the United States Coast Guard.

"The impetus for creating (it) grew out of the concerns of Arctic Council member countries over the increasing need to ensure safety, security, and stewardship of Arctic waters."

Canadian Coast Guard Ship Des Groseilliers in Canadian Arctic Waters in this undated photo.
Photo (Canadian Coast Guard)

The forum will also discuss emergency response, icebreaking and collaboration, said a statement from the Canadian government.

"The heads of the eight coast guard agencies, including Canada, have agreed that collaboration on such operational matters is to everyone's benefit," said Carole Swaindon of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which runs the Canadian Coast Guard.

The forum was to have been created in Canada in March 2014.

An agreement in principle had been reached and the final deal was supposed to have been signed. But negotiations were delayed when the Harper government refused to allow Russian officials to take part.

"The (Prime Minister's Office) insisted the Russians not be invited because of the Ukraine," said John Higginbotham, who attended that meeting as a fellow of Carleton University's Centre for International Governance Innovation.

Canada's allies were not pleased at the refusal, Higginbotham said.

"That really put the cat among the pigeons."

Russians were allowed into the U.S. to complete the talks after the Americans assumed the lead. The deal will be signed at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., at a meeting between the leaders of all eight services.

The signatories include Canada, the U.S., Russia, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The meeting takes place next Wednesday through Friday.

In most countries, coast guards are a branch of the military. That means the new forum will also provide a venue for high-ranking officers from different countries to meet regularly and open channels of communication, say experts.

"It will create another channel of communication, especially between the United States and Russia," said international law professor Michael Byers. "This is part of a larger Russian and American strategy to maintain and build these back channels so as to provide some stability to the larger relationship."

Under the deal, the coast guard heads are to meet yearly.

The deal also puts meat on the bones of the 2011 treaty on Arctic search and rescue, negotiated through the Arctic Council. That treaty committed signatories to providing search and rescue in their sector of the North.

One of the forum's first actions next week in Connecticut will be to run a tabletop search and rescue simulation. That will establish communications protocols and determine who responds to what.

The head of the U.S. Coast Guard, Admiral Paul Zukunft, has said an actual exercise could be mounted as early as next year.

The forum, although it will involve military personnel, will steer clear of security issues. That will follow the lead of other coast guard forums that already exist, such as those for the North Atlantic and North Pacific.

The forum is separate from the Arctic Council, the chief international diplomatic body on northern issues. However, its leadership will rotate in concert with the council, which is now led by the U.S.

RCAF Doesn't Like To Admit it flew Russian Mil-17-V5s

Updated: March 2018

While Air Task Force Afghanistan stood down in August 2011, there is a part of its history that seems to have been forgotten...perhaps deliberately. The part that was forgotten...that the RCAF operated Russian Mil-17 helicopters.

Almost immediately in Canada's deployment to Afghanistan, the CAF realized that it was missing the medium-heavy lift helicopter its NATO allies had. A large percentage of casualties in Afghanistan to the ISAF forces came from IEDs. One way to deploy troops to a location and avoid IEDs along the way was through strategic medium lift helicopters. Canada did not possess such a capability - having only deployed our CH-146 Griffon escort helicopters.

Then CDS Gen. Rick Hillier called for the Conservative Government to look at acquiring a medium-heavy lift helicopter to carry troops and supplies into combat zones in Afghanistan. A modernized CAF would require such a capability for all future deployments. The government agreed, and the search was on.

Almost immediately, the then Minister of Defence Peter MacKay announced that Canada would purchase the Boeing CH-47 D Chinook Helicopter. While it waited for deliveries of new helicopters, it would lease several from the US Military.

The lease agreement took some time to negotiate, and the leased CH-47's would not be immediately available - therefore Canada would need to find an interim solution.

That solution came with the Russian built Kazan Mil-17-V5 helicopters. In 2009 the Conservative cabinet quietly agreed to lease the "Hip" helicopters as NATO has code-named them for use in Afghanistan, according to a 2010 CBC news article.

The Mil-17-V5 is the export version of the Mil-8MTV-5. The cabinet agreed to lease 6 of these helicopters; of which the RCAF took delivery and operated 4, which was designated CH-178. The government was able to keep the deal quite until November 2010 when photos emerged of the Mil-17's flying in RCAF paint schemes for Afghanistan. The media began asking questions, and the government announced that in fact it was operating four of the helicopters as a stop-gap in Afghanistan, and had been since May/June of 2010.

An RCAF identified Mil-17-V5 (CH-178) operating over Afghanistan in 2010. (#178405)

The four Mil-17's operated by the RCAF were assigned serial numbers 178404-178407.

The government had previously leased 6 civilian Mil-8s from SkyLink Aviation of Toronto. SkyLink is known to lease its fleet internationally for peacekeeping, and humanitarian purposes. This lease agreement started in November of 2008. Unlike these 6 civilian Mil-8's which were operated by civilian crews under strict rules. The Mi-8s were only used to transport cargo. While the Mil-17s were fully outfitted with weaponry and flown and crewed by CAF members into combat situations.

What happened to these aircraft after their use in Kandahar? There are reports that at least 3 of the 4 Mil-17s were airlifted top Graf Ignatievo Air Base in Bulgaria in August of 2011, with the Canadian markings covered in tape.

An RCAF identified Mil-17-V5 (CH-178) operating over Afghanistan in 2010. (#178407)

The archived RCAF Air Task Force Afghanistan webpage does not even acknowledge that the RCAF flew Mil-17s. It only lists the leased civilian Mil-8s under its Canadian Helicopter Force Afghanistan.

Also, on the RCAF's webpage, under its Historical Aircaraft no Mil's are mentioned or listed at all. Some would say that this is because the aircraft we leased. But the CT-156T Harvard II and CT-155 Hawk flown Moose Jaw are listed and they are leased.

The only visible mention of the RCAF's use of the Mil-17-V5 CH-178 was odly on Twitter by the RCAF in October 2016 during one of it's quiz Tweets; where it stated that the Mil-17's were flown by 427 Special Operations Air Squadron in Afghanistan.

The answer to yesterday’s quiz. The Mi-17-V5 helicopter was flown by 427 SOAS in Afghanistan. #CANSOFCOM pic.twitter.com/Ljju1dNWlo

— Canadian Forces (@CanadianForces) October 14, 2016

So is misplaced pride the reason why the RCAF and CAF do not recognize the fact that it operated Mil-17s between 2010 and 2011? Or is it the fact that the CAF swore not to fly "Russian" aircraft? Or is it the fact that these were the first Russian aircraft operated by the RCAF that they are not proud of?

Either way, the RCAF operated Russian built Mil-17-V5s designated as CH-178's in Afghanistan, and it is not recorded anywhere on the Canadian Forces webpage that they ever existed.

NATO Will Support Turkey against Russia - if Needed

In a statement made yesterday by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg; NATO will defend all its members, including Turkey. Secretary General Stoltenberg was directly referencing Moscow's incursion into Turkish airspace earlier this week, and encounter with US fighter aircraft.

NATO is meeting with its members to discuss possible deployment options should Moscow continue to threaten NATO's southern boarder in Turkey. So will Canada become involved in Turkey? Only time will tell.

Below is an article published by CTV News Staff & the Associated Press:

John-Thor Dahlburg, The Associated Press
Published Thursday, October 8, 2015 3:34AM EDT
Last Updated Thursday, October 8, 2015 6:47AM EDT

BRUSSELS - NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said alliance defence ministers on Thursday will consider the implications for NATO's own security of the "troubling escalation of Russian military activities" in Syria.

He said NATO is ready to deploy forces, if needed, to defend alliance member Turkey.

On Wednesday, Russian warships fired cruise missiles in the first combined air-and-ground assault with Syrian government troops since Moscow began its military campaign in the country last week.

Over the weekend, Turkey reported back-to-back violations of its airspace by Russian warplanes.

U.S. Defence Secretary Ash Carter and his counterparts from the 27 other NATO nations had already been scheduled to meet Thursday in Brussels.

Stoltenberg told reporters the meeting will receive an update from its military commanders on the situation in Syria, as well as Afghanistan.

"In Syria, we have seen a troubling escalation of Russian military activities," Stoltenberg said. "We will assess the latest developments and their implications for the security of the alliance. This is particularly relevant in view of the recent violations of NATO's airspace by Russian aircraft."

NATO on Monday issued a statement demanding that the violations cease. Russia called its penetration of Turkish airspace a minor incident that was unintentional. Stoltenberg had already brushed off the Russian explanation.

"NATO is able and ready to defend all allies, including Turkey, against any threat," the secretary-general said Thursday. He said NATO had already increased "our capacity, our ability, our preparedness to deploy forces, including to the south, including in Turkey, if needed."

"We are constantly assessing the situation also with the Turkish government," Stoltenberg said, adding that he would be meeting later Thursday with Turkish Defence Minister Mehmet Vecdi Gonul.

British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon accused Russia of acting chiefly in Syria not to attack the Islamic State terrorist organization but to shore up the beleaguered government of President Bashar al-Assad, thus making a serious situation "much more dangerous." NATO officials have expressed fears there could be an encounter, accidental or otherwise, between Russian planes and air forces of the U.S.-led coalition attacking Islamic State in Syria.

"We'll be meeting today to see what we can do to de-escalate this crisis particularly in terms of air safety," Fallon said as he arrived at NATO headquarters. "We'll be calling on Russia specifically to stop propping up the Assad regime, to use their own (air) crews constructively to stop Assad bombing his own civilians."

German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said Russia must recognize that if it targets opposition groups in Syria that are fighting Islamic State, "Russia will strengthen IS and this can be neither in the Russian interest, nor in our interest."

The defence ministers' meeting, their first since June, is also expected to approve ongoing efforts to retool NATO to meet a daunting array of contemporary security threats. Decisions expected include approval for two new NATO headquarters units in Hungary and Slovakia to enhance their defences and speed the deployment of reinforcements sent by other alliance nations, and changes in the beefed-up NATO Response Force to, in Stoltenberg's words, make it "bigger, faster and more capable."

"We are facing many challenges from many different directions," Stoltenberg said. "Conflict, instability and insecurity."

"We will assess what we have to do to adapt NATO to current and future challenges," he said-including cyberattacks and the mix of conventional and unconventional tactics commonly known as hybrid warfare.

Canada in Syria: No Coalition Cooperation with Russia

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Wednesday the U.S.-led coalition has not agreed to cooperate with Russia in the fight against the Islamic State and no collaboration is possible as long as Moscow continues to strike other targets, the Associated Press writes.

Here is the rest of the Associated Press article:

He said the U.S. will conduct basic, technical talks with Russia about efforts to ensure that flights over Syria are conducted safely, and, “That’s it.”

Carter spoke during a press conference in Rome with Italian Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti. A Russian official has called for broader talks on cooperation in the Syrian conflict.

The United States, Carter said, is not prepared to cooperate with a strategy of Russia’s that is “tragically flawed.”

“They continue to hit targets that are not ISIL,” Carter said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group. “We believe that is a fundamental mistake.”

Carter said he is concerned about the Syrian ground offensive that began Wednesday backed by Russian airpower. Russia, which backs Syrian President Bashar Assad, has hit Western-backed rebels fighting Assad. The U.S. maintains that the only route to peace in Syria is to remove Assad from power.

The US was still waiting Wednesday for a formal response from Russia on a draft document laying out proposed technical safety procedures for the aircraft flights, said a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the official wasn’t authorized to discuss the situation publicly.

Russia on Tuesday informed the United States that Moscow is willing to continue talks to ensure that the two countries’ aircraft don’t interfere with each other. But Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said the talks should be much broader and also cover potential international cooperation between Russia and the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group.

The Pentagon only wants talks aimed at making sure there are no conflicts, collisions or other problems as the U.S.-led coalition and the Russians fly over Syria. The U.S. side has proposed a number of safety measures, including using specific international radio frequencies for distress calls by military pilots flying in Syrian airspace.

Carter had called on Russian leaders to discuss Moscow’s military activities in Syria, reflecting urgent concerns about Russian aircraft violating Turkish airspace. NATO on Monday denounced Russia for “irresponsible behavior” for allowing its warplanes to cross into Turkey.

U.S. and Russian officials met once by video conference late last week, before the Russian incursion into Turkish airspace.

Carter and other NATO defense ministers are expected to discuss how to deal with the problem when they meet in Brussels Thursday.

The U.S.-led coalition has been routinely conducting airstrikes on Islamic State militants in Syria.

Russia says the airstrikes it began last week are directed against the Islamic State group, as well as al-Qaida’s Syrian affiliates. But the U.S. and France say at least some of the strikes appear to have hit Western-backed rebel factions fighting government troops, with the real goal of protecting Assad.

On a week long trip to Europe, Carter is focused on reassuring European allies of U.S. support as they face growing security threats from a more aggressive Russia and militant extremists from north Africa.

(the above was written by the Associated Press)

Russia's First Airstrikes Against ISIS in Syria

(This article was written by the Associated Press)

The airstrikes targeted ISIS positions, vehicles and warehouses that Russia believes belong to the militants, ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told Russian news agencies. Islamic State is also referred to as ISIS.

A Russian SU 25 SM Ground Attach Aircraft during a Training Exercise in March 2015. Photo: National Post/Getty Images

Russia’s upper chamber of parliament earlier on Wednesday gave the green light to President Vladimir Putin’s request to send Russian troops to Syria.

Putin said the Russian air force will be supporting the Syrian army in its offensive operations.

Russia is “not going to plunge into this conflict head-on,” Putin said, and Moscow will help Syrian President Bashar Assad’s army as long as their offensive operation lasts.

Putin also said he expects Assad to sit down and talk with the Syrian opposition about a political settlement.

Russian lawmakers voted unanimously Wednesday to allow Putin to order airstrikes in Syria, where Russia has deployed fighter jets and other weapons in recent weeks.

Putin had to request parliamentary approval for any use of Russian troops abroad, according to the constitution. The last time he did so was before Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in March 2014.

The vote comes after Putin’s meeting Monday with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York, where the two discussed Russia’s recent military buildup in Syria. Speaking after his meeting with Obama, Putin kept the door open for airstrikes but ruled out ground action.

Putin and other officials have said Russia was providing weapons and training to Assad’s army to help it combat IS. Russian navy transport vessels have been shuttling back and forth for weeks to ferry troops, weapons and supplies to an air base near the Syrian coastal city of Latakia. IHS Jane’s, a leading defence research group, said last week that satellite images of the base showed 28 jets, including Su-30 multirole fighters, Su-25 ground attack jets, Su-24 bombers and possibly Ka-52 helicopter gunships.

The Islamic State group has captured large parts of both Syria and Iraq.

(This article was written by the Associated Press)

NORAD Jets Practising Interceptions in Arctic

U.S Army File Photo: An RCAF CF-18 escorts a Russian Tu-95 Bear Bomber out of Canadian airspace (Undated Photo)

As part of Exercise  AMALGAM DART taking place in the Arctic region between Canada and the United States, NORAD Jets will be practising intercepting foreign aircraft in the Northern regions of North America.

This training is a response to the increased Russian presence in the Arctic region - at its highest levels since the Cold War.

According to U.S. reports, Russian aircraft approached North American airspace 17 times in 2014. That includes Russian bombers, tankers, and fighter jets. Its not just the number of flights, but where they are flying.

The increase in numbers in 2014 is attributed to the West's strong stance on the Russian aggression in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine. Similar increases are being seen in Northern Europe, including Russian bombers flying through the English Channel late last year.

More than 300 personnel, and 15 NORAD aircraft are participating in Exercise AMALGAM DART, in Alaska, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.

HMCS Fredericton tailed by Russian Warships

HMCS Fredericton arrived in the Black Sea earlier this week to participate in NATO exercises with Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2). The voyage over went smoothly, but once it arrived things got interesting.

As soon as Fredericton joined with several other allied Nation vessels, two Russian Warships appeared within three nautical miles of the battle group.

The two Russian Warships followed the group for sometime until the SNMG2 group broke off into two separate formations, then the Russian ships went on their way.

DND has stated the the current exercises in the Black Sea are a response to Russian aggression towards the Ukraine.

It seems Russia is playing along nicely, and is pushing all the right buttons to put everyone on edge in the West.

This is the second provocation, last summer HMCS Toronto was 'buzzed' by a Russian warplane during its deployment to the Black Sea.

Canada, Ukraine,and Russia; Georgia as part of NATO?

Following the NATO Summit yesterday, Defence Minister Rob Nicholson again told Russia to back off in Ukraine.

NATO announced that it will establish six regional command posts (in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria) and expand the current Rapid Response Unit from 13,000 troops to 30,000 troops.

When asked if he thought the Rapid Response Unit would provoke Russia, and cause a larger conflict instead of ending the current situation in the Ukraine, Nicholson shrugged off the question. "Take a look at the way NATO is runs and has always run." Nicholson did stand firm on Canada not arming the Ukrainian Forces, but mentioned that the U.S. is still considering it.

It is true NATO has always encroached onto Russia territory, and pushed to have its defensive forces as close to Russia as possible. Now Georgia (which went to war in 2008 against Russia) is pushing for membership to NATO, and Canada fully supports the inclusion of the former Soviet state.

Russia on the other hand, has not yet backed down to any NATO placement in Europe, and believes the Rapid Response Unit will only cause further conflict.

To read the original Ottawa Citizen article:
Defence Minister Nicholson not worried about Russia