Canada offers helicopters, planes, trainers to UN, but no decision on where
The Trudeau government is formally offering helicopters, transport aircraft and a 200-strong rapid-response team of soldiers for UN peacekeeping — though it will be months before Canadians know when and where they will go.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled the planned contributions at a high-level summit Wednesday in Vancouver, including millions of dollars to increase the role of women in peacekeeping.
“What we will do is step up and make the contributions we are uniquely able to provide,” Trudeau said.
“We know how to work with other countries and other partners to make peace happen. We have innovative ideas to share, and more importantly, we’re willing to put those new ideas into practice. We’re also home to the kinds of concrete capabilities that UN peace operations need.
“We can make a difference by matching what we do best with what UN peace operations need most.”
The moment marks Canada’s most tangible step back into peacekeeping — long the country’s traditional military role — since the Liberals promised last year to provide the UN with up to 600 troops and 150 police officers.
But government officials who briefed reporters on background prior to the announcement say Canada and the UN have only just started what could be six to nine months of discussions about when and where those capabilities are
needed.
That’s because Canada is offering the troops and equipment without dictating where they must go — an approach a senior UN official praised this week for giving the organization more flexibility in filling critical gaps in different missions.
“We’re currently in discussions with the United Nations to work out the details. We have to talk to host nations and identify locations where our capabilities can best fill UN critical capability gaps,” one Canadian official said.
“So the exact where and when is going to take a little bit of time to work out.”
Added another, speaking on background since the official announcement had yet to take place: “The traditional approach to peacekeeping has focused on where. The emphasis now is on how we’re engaged, not where we’re engaged.”
Trudeau acknowledged the government’s original promise and said it still plans to make good on that commitment.
“Canada has pledged to make available up to 600 Canadian Armed Forces personnel for possible deployment to a variety of UN peace operations, and we are fulfilling that commitment, over time, through a series of smart pledges,” he said.
“This is the best way for Canada to help, and it offers the greatest chance of success.”
Officials would not speak to what specific countries are currently under consideration. But sources have previously said the talks include possibly sending helicopters to Mali and a rapid response force to provide additional security to the UN mission in the Golan Heights, between Israel and Syria.