Defense Secretary Anita Anand made the announcement Thursday at the Canadian military base in Trenton, Ont. The base has served as a departure point for “much of Canada’s military assistance to Ukraine to fight and win this war,” Anand said. The troops, about 100 of them crossing “immediately”, are largely from Edmonton and Kingston. The military will assist in coordinating and providing first-line care for Ukrainian refugees in the neighboring country, Anand said. The defense minister said the development was part of a three-pronged plan that would take place “in the coming months”. First, members of the Canadian Armed Forces will be deployed to reception centers throughout Poland operated by the Polish Territorial Defense Force, “to assist with immediate care and processing”. Anand said this would be the “biggest element” of growth. The staff will provide general assistance, spiritual services and basic medical care, with the assistance of Ukrainian-speaking military personnel. Second, Canada will deploy “a number” of members to assist a humanitarian action team under Poland, which will include other representatives of the federal government and officials from allied countries, “to coordinate the efforts of more than 100 multinational humanitarian agencies to “To ensure that the Ukrainians leave the war, get the best possible support.” Third, military personnel will assist Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship by “acting as a liaison” with the Polish military as Canada works to resettle thousands of Ukrainians in Canada. This mission is part of Canada’s recent extensive contribution to Operation Reassurance, a NATO deterrent mission to Central and Eastern Europe. “In the face of unspeakable acts of violence, the Canadians and our Canadian Armed Forces will continue to intensify,” he said. The army had previously evacuated 260 personnel from Ukraine to Poland shortly before the start of the Russian invasion in late February. While there, the military instructors provided some humanitarian assistance, but have since returned to Canada temporarily, the Canadian Press reported. Canada has been prioritizing immigration applications from Ukrainians since early 2022 and, in response to the millions of Ukrainians fleeing the county to escape ongoing Russian attacks, has opened two new immigration streams for Ukrainians seeking to enter the country. . Ukrainians wishing to come to Canada temporarily will be able to stay for three years through the “Canada-Ukraine Emergency Travel Authorization” program. Ukrainians and their family members of any nationality are offered temporary residence and the opportunity to work or study while in Canada. For those wishing to stay permanently in Canada, the government is creating a separate family reunification path with the help of Ukrainian-Canadian community groups. “We will continue to work with our partners, including provinces and territories, settlement agencies and the Ukrainian-Canadian community, to provide support and temporary safe haven for those wishing to come to Canada,” said the Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. Sean Fraser in a statement. Responding to the news, Conservative MP and immigration critic Jasraj Singh Hallan said in a statement that Canada should not wait so long in the war in Ukraine to bring additional resources to Eastern Europe. “We welcome the news that Canada is sending 150 troops to Poland to support those trapped in this mass dispersal,” NDP defense critic Lindsay Mathyssen said in a statement. However, he said there was “much more” that the federal government needs to do to help Ukrainians. Both Conservatives and New Democrats continue to urge Canada to allow visa-free travel for asylum seekers. Since the start of the war, Canada has sent deadly and non-lethal aid to Ukraine — including military equipment — and has vowed to send more. As part of the new $ 8 billion national defense spending promised in the 2022 federal budget, the Canadian government has allocated an additional $ 500 million to be used for military assistance to Ukraine. Anand appeared to suggest on Thursday that Canada’s further financial assistance to Ukraine would include the renewal of Canada’s stock, which was used to ship supplies to Ukraine, paying for direct supplies from military suppliers – with which Canada sent drone cameras in Ukraine – and looking at potential fundraising with allies for “effective” relief work. “We are actively engaged with a number of suppliers on additional supplies and will have more information to say about these discussions soon,” Anand said.
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