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OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Friday he will deploy about 30 soldiers and two cargo planes to help deliver weapons and other military supplies to Kurdish forces in Iraq. A CC-130j Hercules and a CC-177 Globemaster will transport weapons from the U.S. and its allies to the Kurdish Peshmerga who are trying to fend off "the murderous rampage" of the terrorist group ISIS, Harper said in a statement released Friday. "Canada will not stand idly by while (ISIS) continues its murder of innocent civilians and religious minorities," Harper said. The two planes are stationed in Cyprus and a...

... The Star’s report Tuesday came from anonymous sources in the Defence Department. The CBC had to find out from French television that Canadian special forces are also operating in Niger, which borders on Mali. But then everything about Canada’s role in Mali is treated by Ottawa as a state secret. Canadians learned of the initial C-17 deployment only after Mali’s president tweeted the information on the internet. When that initial, one-week deployment was extended, we were first told not by our own government but by Mali’s ambassador to Canada. ... Meanwhile, who exactly are we fighting in Mali? The...

Both were Canadian soldiers. One died, one didn't. Eleven years ago, one was found semi-comatose in an Ottawa park, his attempt at suicide through booze and pills thwarted by the police who saved him. The other was found dead last week at a forward military outpost in a hostile area of southern Afghanistan ruled by the Taliban. Foul play, enemy action and accidental death have all been ruled out by the military. And that is code for suicide. The first soldier, then a top general and now a senator, was Romeo Dallaire, a helpless witness to the 90-day slaughter in...

One Canadian Soldier Killed By Improvised Explosive Device CEFCOM NR – 10.006 - April 11, 2010 OTTAWA — One Canadian soldier was killed by an improvised explosive device that detonated during a dismounted security patrol in Dand district at approximately 7:30 a.m. Kandahar time on 11 April 2010. The incident occurred in the vicinity of Belanday, Dand district, approximately eight-kilometres southwest of Kandahar City. Killed in action was Private Tyler William Todd from the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton, Alberta. He was serving as a member with Task Force 3-09 Battle Group. At this sad...

Canadian soldier killed by improvised explosive deviceNR – 10.001 - January 16, 2010OTTAWA — One Canadian soldier was killed by an improvised explosive device during a dismounted security patrol near the town of Nakhonay in the Panjwayi district, approximately 15 kilometres south-west of Kandahar City. The incident took place at approximately 2:00 p.m. Kandahar time on 16 Jan 2010. Killed in action was Sergeant John Wayne Faught from the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton, Alberta. He was serving as a member of the Task Force 3-09 Battle Group. At this sad time, our thoughts and...

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- A peacekeeping force of up to 800 Canadian troops is preparing for deployment that appears imminent to Haiti, to assist in maintaining security in the face of increasing violence, and looting on the island nation. The troops, mostly from Valcartier, Que., and equipment would join an increasing international force -- including more than 3,000 American marines -- that is already on the scene or en route. Engineering units, from Gagetown N.B., 60 vehicles, a headquarters and support elements, including medical staff, are part of the Canadian contingent. While the military would not confirm the peacekeeping initiative, Lt.-Col....

A suicide bomber penetrated a foreign army base in Afghanistan to kill eight U.S. CIA employees on Wednesday, one of the spy agency's largest death tolls, and a separate attack killed four Canadian troops and a journalist.

The California Legislative Analyst’s Office recently reported that the State faces a $21 billion shortfall in the current as well as the next fiscal year. That’s a problem, a really big problem. My young son would say it was a ginormous problem. In fact, it may be an insurmountable problem. Our governor and legislature used every trick in their books when they created the most recent budget. They even resorted to mandatory interest-free loans from the taxpayers. Now, they have no idea where to go. The Democrats have declared that they will not allow budget cuts. The Republicans will not...

Kremlin position papers presented to Prime Minister Putin today on his upcoming meeting with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen state that the European-US military alliance has authorized an ‘emergency request’ from President Obama to utilize American and Canadian NATO troops to put down what is expected to be a “rebellion” after the expected January, 2010 ‘declaration of bankruptcy’ by the State of California. According to these reports, Obama’s fears of rebellion are due to the economic health of California (the United States largest State) after the 3rd largest US State, New York, declared a ‘fiscal emergency’ and refused to...

Officials and Experts Warn of Crash-Induced Unrest Numerous high-level officials and experts warn that the economic crisis could lead to unrest world-wide - even in developed countries: Today, Moody's warned that future tax rises and spending cuts could trigger social unrest in a range of countries from the developing to the developed world, that in the coming years, evidence of social unrest and public tension may become just as important signs of whether a country will be able to adapt as traditional economic metrics, that a fiscal crisis remains a possibility for a leading economy, and that 2010 would be...

According to these reports, Obama’s fears of rebellion are due to the economic health of California (the United States largest State) after the 3rd largest US State, New York, declared a ‘fiscal emergency’ and refused to release to its cities and towns over $750 Million due them this past week with the Governor of New York, David Paterson, declaring “I can't say this enough: The state has run out of money.”Kremlin position papers presented to Prime Minister Putin today on his upcoming meeting with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen state that the European-US military alliance has authorized an ‘emergency...

Canadian soldier killed by improvised explosive device CEFCOM NR 09.032 - December 23, 2009 OTTAWA — One Canadian soldier and one soldier of the Afghan National Army (ANA) were killed by an improvised explosive device that detonated during a joint foot patrol near the village of Nakhonay in Panjwaii District, about 25 km southwest of Kandahar City, on December 23, 2009. The explosion also injured an Afghan interpreter. Killed in action was Lieutenant Andrew Richard Nuttall, from the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (1 PPCLI), based in Edmonton, Alberta, serving as a member of the 1 PPCLI Battle...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2009 – The demonstrated bravery and resolve of the nearly 3,000 Canadian forces serving in Afghanistan reflects the commitment necessary to achieve success there, the commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan said in the Canadian capital yesterday. Canadian forces’ efforts in mentoring Afghan security forces and their work in infrastructure development projects in southern Afghanistan’s Kandahar province are greatly appreciated, Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal said at the Conference of Defence Associations Institute in Ottawa. “The courage and determination of Canadian forces are an inspiration to our coalition,” McChrystal said, noting that Canada, with about...

HALIFAX, N.S. - Canada's latest contribution to the war on terrorism and piracy slipped out of Halifax harbour in driving rain Sunday on a six-month deployment to the Middle East. Before it left, family and friends gathered on the deck and in the helicopter bay of HMCS Fredericton for a couple of hours to bid an emotional farewell to the 245 crew members who won't be returning until next spring. As Evan and Bianca Entwhistle hugged, their 20-month-old son Finn sandwiched between them, it was hard to distinguish the tears from the rain. "The sad part with this little guy...

Sapper Alexandre Beaudin-D'Anjou, his face still bloodied and badly swollen one day after a homemade landmine had killed two of his colleagues last week, announced he would answer questions about the awful incident, but only after making a statement. In what was an exceptional "cri de coeur" to his countrymen on the home front, the young combat engineer from Quebec City declared: "I want to say that part of the Canadian population negatively views the work that we do here, above all because they don't understand what we do. In my opinion, the majority of the Afghan population benefits from...

Two Canadian soldiers killed and five injured in an explosive device strikeCEFCOM NR–09.023 - September 6, 2009OTTAWA – Two Canadian soldiers were killed and five injured when an improvised explosive device detonated near their armoured vehicle in the vicinity of Dand District, approximately 14 kilometres southwest of Kandahar City at around 12:00 p.m., Kandahar time, on 6 September 2009. Killed in action was Corporal Jean-François Drouin from 5e Régiment du génie de combat serving as a member of the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment Battle Group based in Valcartier, Quebec. Killed in action was Major Yannick Pépin also from 5e...

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Canadian troops have moved into several villages to the southwest of Kandahar City in the past few days to live among the population and be much closer to the heart of the Taliban insurgency. The move to have troops dwell in small communities, such as Zhalakhan and Baladay, coincides with orders by U.S. Army General Stanley McChrystal, the new commander of all NATO forces in Afghanistan appointed by President Barack Obama, to focus on populated areas in order to separate the Taliban from the people. The four-star general's directive to "clear, hold and build" fits with...

Media AdvisoryOur Fallen Comrades Return HomeLFCA MA 09-20 - August 3, 2009OTTAWA – Our fallen comrades, Sapper Matthieu Allard and Corporal Christian Bobbitt, will return to Canada on Tuesday, August 4, 2009. Both men were from the 5e Régiment du génie, a combat engineer Regiment based in Valcartier, Quebec, and were serving with the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment Battle Group in Afghanistan. Where: 8 Wing, Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ontario. When: Tuesday, Aug 4, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. What: At the wishes of the families, media will be permitted on the tarmac. Present to pay their respects will be...

Two Canadian soldiers killed and one injured in an explosive device strikeCEFCOM NR–09.021 - August 2, 2009OTTAWA – Two Canadian soldiers were killed and one injured when an improvised explosive device detonated near a patrol in the Zhari District. The incident occurred approximately 15 kilometres west of Kandahar City at around 3:20 p.m., Kandahar time, on 1 August, 2009. Killed in action was Corporal Christian Bobbitt from 5e Régiment du génie de combat serving as a member of the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment Battle Group based in Valcartier, Quebec. The next of kin for the second soldier killed has...

Last week the Toronto Star ran a disturbing front page headlined story about suicides in the Canadian military, and cited evidence that the stress of overseas missions may result in criminal acts by returned veterans. The renewed concern about suicide and stress disorder among the military has intensified since Maj. Michelle Mendes, a fast-tracked and respected intelligence officer, committed suicide shortly after arriving in Afghanistan in April. Now research is underway among veterans, dating back to the Korean war and peacekeeping, to see if there's a pattern of what they went through that may have affected their later lives. Soldiers...