Canada says to send 20 police trainers for Iraq

Reuters ^ | 10/24/03

[areafiftyone]

OTTAWA, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Canada pledged C$10 million ($7.6 million) on Friday so that 20 Canadian police officers can train Iraqi police at a site in Jordan, International Cooperation Minister Susan Whelan said.

Canada, which refused to contribute troops to the Iraq war, offered C$300 million earlier this year for humanitarian and reconstruction aid in Iraq. The funds for police training are in addition to the C$300 million.

"There will be 20 Canadian police instructors to help train Iraqi police officers," Whelan told Reuters by phone from the Iraq donors conference in Madrid.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police superintendent David Beer who was in Baghdad in May said at that time the Iraqi policing system was "broken" and had to be rebuilt.

In recent years, Canadian police have been sent to trouble spots such as Haiti and Kosovo to help train law enforcement officers.

"The Americans are extremely pleased, as are the British, with Canada's contribution. They actually have been using Canada as an example to other countries because we did step up to the plate early. They believe we are actually helping leverage other countries," Whelan said.

[Coop]

Canada's support for our efforts in Iraq has simply overwhelmed me.

[yawn]

[Naspino]

So 500,000 per police trainer? These wouldn't happen to be celebrity trainers?

[areafiftyone]

LOL - I guess its better than nothing. In other news that I will be posting in a minute France refuses to send any troops (who'da thunk?)

[Semper Paratus]

What are they going to train them to enforce?
Littering, jaywalking and cussing?

[from occupied ga]

What are they going to train them to enforce? Littering, jaywalking and cussing?

Speeding laws, tax collection, preventing private health care, and making sure everyone who has a business speaks French. Those seem to be more important to Candians than anything else.

[PokeyJoe]

you forgot aboot cigarettes, eh?

[from occupied ga]

you forgot aboot cigarettes, eh?

LOL

[.cnI redruM]

It was a polite way to oppose our policy. I respect their basic right to dissent and feel they've done so in a tasteful manner. Next topic.

[OldPossum]

Don't forget instruction on how to turn in firearms. They are especially expert at that.

[CWOJackson]

Canadian Cops?

Oh Dear Lord...I've seen those people in action. I'll give them this much credit, they are extremely polite. I'm sure commands of "Excuse me" and "Please" will work well in Iraq.

[Prodigal Son]

I appreciate the help they gave us in Afghanistan though.

[longtermmemmory]

Canada will train officers to make really scarry clicking noises.

(s) then again these are canaaadian police, the always get their man. But first dinner and dancing.(/s)

[Oatka]

What are the differences in handling/securing prisoners, interrogation, etc.?

I suspect the U.S. approach will differ from those of other countries. How do they reconcile them? Or do they? How does that mess up a U.S.-trained Iraqi when he ends up in a Brit zone?

[Loyalist]

Training Iraqis in Canadian policing methods will be futile unless they open a Tim Horton's in Baghdad.