WHAT CANADA IS OFFERING THE UN

The Trudeau government is formally offering personnel, equipment and funding for UN peacekeeping measures, though it will be months before Canadians know when and where all those resources are to be deployed.

According to preliminary details unveiled at a highlevel international summit in Vancouver yesterday, Canada will be providing:

A 200- strong rapid- response team of soldiers, some of whom may be used to provide additional security to the UN mission in the Golan Heights, between Israel and Syria.

A total of $ 21 million to help increase the number of women in peacekeeping, including $ 6 million to help with reforms at the UN and $ 15 million for a new trust fund.

Dozens of trainers to help professionalize militaries from developing countries that are often involved in peacekeeping. Some of these trainers will be deployed to UN centres in Africa, such as in Kenya, Ghana and Uganda. But officials say up to 50 could also be sent to other countries, and may even deploy on missions with their students.

A C- 130 transport plane and necessary support staff to be stationed in the Ugandan city of Entebbe to assist in deploying UN troops and equipment to different parts of Africa.

Possibly helicopters to assist with UN operations in Mali.

A possible contribution to the UN’s new police mission in Haiti. Government officials who briefed reporters Wednesday said Canada and the UN have only just started what could be six to nine months of discussions about when and where resources are most needed and are to be deployed.

“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 official said.