Posted on 09/01/2005 7:57:59 AM PDT by Clive
OTTAWA -- Canada has offered to supply the U.S. with troops, military engineers and water purification expertise to assist in relief efforts in devastated areas hit by Hurricane Katrina.
Gen. Rick Hillier spoke to his U.S. counterpart Gen. Richard B. Myers late yesterday and made the offer, confirmed Steve Jurgutis, spokesman for Defence Minister Bill Graham. America's health and human services department also contacted the Canadian Public Health Agency yesterday and asked for an inventory of medical supplies and personnel that could be provided.
But Canada has yet to receive a request for assistance, Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan said.
"There may very well be things that they will need, whether in the short term or as the days go ahead. For example, clean water is at a premium now," she said.
"We need to work closely with the United States so that we understand what they need the most, at the right time."
Prime Minister Paul Martin vowed Canada will provide any emergency help our U.S. neighbours need. "During this most difficult time, Canada stands with you, and we are ready to provide whatever support you may require in the days, weeks and months ahead," he said.
"We are sending some of our most highly trained disaster response volunteers," said Red Cross spokesman Suzanne Charest. "They will be dealing with people who are grieving, who have faced an extraordinary amount of loss, so they have to be trained to deal with this sort of thing."
Cash donations can be made by calling 1-800-418-1111.
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WOW!
If I didn't know better, I would think this is the Onion.
The Canadians are wonderful people, their government can tend to suck.
Just think what would happen, if a foreign military member, were to shoot someone in NO?
Canada: Keep your people. Send Gas.
Thanks to the good people of Canada.
Many thanks to Canada. The military help they are offering is support, not armed combat.
We should thank them, not heap scorn upon them.
A very nice gesture.
Send canadian troops, what both of them.
Didn't realize they *had* troops - but thanks Canada!!
The assault ships Bush sent have huge water purification facilities as well as medical facilities. They are perfect for coastal recovery work. Make a fine heliport as well.
The folks down there could really use a nice iceberg about now . . .Sigh.
Actually, they could shoot most of the people in NO as far as I'm concerned. What's happening down there is a disgrace. New Orleans is turning out to be nothing more than Haiti under water.
Have the officials in Venice, Italy offered any help?
New Orleans city officials should have required lifeboats for each residence, in their housing code.
According to a pre-Katrina web page on New Orleans geography, New Orleans has been sinking over the years, has been destroying the environment and could not have been saved from itself.
Did the MSM do any investigative reporting on New Orleans' precarious existence during this natural cycle of increased hurricane activity?
Or has the MSM been too busy bashing Bush?
Keep the troops send the Labatts.
Well Damn.... some one has offered help. Do we have to ask formally for help? Did the tsunami victims governments have to ask formally? I don't think so...
True, but in a situation like this where transportation is a big problem, some Canadian water purification facilities in other areas would be useful.
Tell them to come on down..eh?
We'll make them some bacon sandwiches to go along with the Molsons they bring.
I dont see why we should not take any offer of help offered.
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