Free Republic

ABOARD HMCS TORONTO and TORONTO - An apparent breakdown in communications between federal emergency officials and the crew of Canadian navy ships en route to help victims of Hurricane Katrina left sailors scrambling to buy $1-million in relief supplies in Halifax stores rather than dipping into stockpiles of emergency gear. Navy supply officers went on a shopping spree for everything from chainsaws to diaper cream in the four days before a Canadian task force sailed for the disaster area this week. Navy personnel told the National Post that repeated calls to Public Security and Emergency Preparedness Canada went unanswered over...