Canadian soldiers leave Edmonton for Latvia as part of ongoing mission to support NATO

As the Russian penetration of Ukraine approaches a grim three-year anniversary, 180 members of the Canadian Armed Forces are leaving Edmonton this week and heading to Latvia arsenic portion of an ongoing NATO ngo that has been extended, successful part, due to the fact that of the war.

On Wednesday, CAF members being sent to the bluish European state said farewell to household members arsenic they prepared for a six-month deployment arsenic portion of a ngo dubbed Operation Reassurance.

Operation Reassurance archetypal began successful 2014. In March 2022, the national authorities announced a multi-year renewal of the cognition a twelvemonth up of docket due to the fact that of “the changing information concern successful eastbound Europe.”

Chief petty serviceman Whitney Ell is leaving her young lad arsenic she prepares for her 2nd circuit of duty.

“Before I truly lone had to interest astir myself, and that’s not the lawsuit now,” she noted. “You benignant of permission fractional of your caput and your bosom here, and past you bring the different fractional with you — truthful that’s tough.”

Sgt. Gabriel Houle told Global News helium has been serving with the subject for implicit 8 years and is looking guardant to the accidental to beryllium deployed and use his skills.

“I yet get to transverse the commencement enactment and really spell and deploy,” helium said. “It’s a small spot similar if you bid for a marathon and yet you tin get to the race. So I americium truly excited.”

The members being deployed are led by the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians), Canada’s lone vessel regiment. They volition beryllium portion of what is presently the CAF’s largest ngo overseas.

“The recently created Canadian-led NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia is portion of the biggest reinforcement of NATO corporate defence successful a generation,” the CAF said successful an email, adding that the ngo the Canadians volition beryllium portion of is aimed astatine supporting “NATO deterrence and defence measures successful cardinal and eastbound Europe.”

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“By being there, we show a willingness of NATO arsenic an confederation to enactment each of its confederation members,” Col. Sean French said.

Lt.-Col. Darryn Gray said those being deployed volition person entree to “the champion of our equipment.”

“We are trained and we are acceptable to beryllium capable to enactment our NATO allies.”

Those being deployed person trained astir a twelvemonth for this peculiar mission, which involves a full of astir 2,000 CAF members.

–with files from Jaclyn Kucey, Global News