Canada looking at military engineers, onthe-ground training for peacekeeping

OTTAWA -- Canada is exploring the possible deployment of military engineers as the newly re-elected Liberal government takes a fresh look at ways to step up its support for United Nations peacekeeping, says Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan. The government is also looking at having Canadian military trainers join peacekeepers from other nations in the field to help them better do their jobs. Both would be on top of commitments Canada has already made to the UN in recent years, though the minister cautioned talks between the two sides are still in the very early stages and no decisions have been made. ” This is not something we’re going to do by snapping a finger and getting it done,” Sajjan told The Canadian Press in a recent interview. “It’s very important that we take the time to get this right because when you do it, it can have a significant impact,” he said. “So these are the things that we’re working on.” Revelations about the possible new initiatives come after the Liberals promised in their platform during the fall federal election, without any details, that they would “move forward with new investments” to support peacekeeping if re-elected. That followed a similar promise by the Liberals during the 2015 election to renew Canada’s role in peacekeeping, which later resulted in the 13-month deployment of a helicopter contingent to Mali for medical evacuations. Canada is currently providing the UN with the occasional use of a military plane to transport troops and equipment to and from Uganda, but a promised 200-member quick-reaction force has yet to become a reality. Despite these contributions, the Liberals have been criticized by some for not matching their rhetoric around peacekeeping with real engagement and support for the efforts. Others have questioned the benefit of peacekeeping to Canada.