The Canadian military has mobilized 24,000 full-time and part-time members to respond to calls from provinces and northern Indigenous communities for help with pandemic measures, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said Monday.
The Canadian military will mobilize up to 24,000 full-time and part-time members to respond to calls from provinces and northern Indigenous communities for help with pandemic measures, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said Monday.
The military’s “rapid reaction” teams will be available for a range of missions, such as delivering medical supplies and supporting remote communities that may be vulnerable to COVID-19 outbreaks.
“When Canada needs our Armed Forces, they’re always there,” Sajjan said today during the daily ministerial briefing. “They’ve shown that in great times of difficulty, Canadians never face hardship alone.”
At least 10 regular force units on bases across the country have troops and equipment set aside to take action. A few weeks ago, whole sections of the military were ordered to stay home and stay healthy in case they’re needed.
“Those who wear the uniform will be there for Canadians when called upon,” Sajjan said.
The announcement is the first concrete indication the Liberal government is prepared to call on troops to deliver humanitarian relief, including medical assistance, within Canada.
The role of the Armed Forces in the COVID-19 crisis thus far has been limited to providing medical teams to screen evacuees from China, and to providing those people with isolation shelter at the country’s largest military air base in Trenton, Ont.
At the moment, no formal requests for what’s known as “aid to the civil power” have been submitted to the federal government, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday during his daily press briefing outside