MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – August 16, 2012
- Syria (1) 11 Aug 12: Canadian medical aid to Syrian rebels firing alright …. “…. Canada is …. providing $2 million to Canadian Relief for Syria, which will provide medical supplies for doctors and health-care providers within Syria’s borders. This will help provide better and more timely medical care for Syrian civilians who need it ….” (alternate site for news release here if link above doesn’t work)
- Syria (2) 15 Aug 12: ….. medical aid STOPS! “Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has abruptly reversed course on his plan to get badly needed medical supplies into Syria by way of a Canadian aid organization. Just days after travelling to Jordan to announce some $2-million in aid, Mr. Baird confirmed Wednesday that the government will not be providing the money to the group known as Canadian Relief for Syria. “We wanted to ensure that supplies could make their way to the victims of the Assad regime in the best way possible, and that it wouldn’t fund things like warehouses and infrastructure,” Mr. Baird said. He said concerns about where the money would be going arose after the announcement, when the government sat down with the group to reach a contribution agreement. “The current intention will not be pursued,” he said. “We will find alternatives.” ….” - more here. Were the concerns about the allegeed (at least as alleged by Macleans) history of the group in question and links to Khadr Pere?
- Elsewhere in the world, “The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs), …. announced Government of Canada support for the delivery of training courses in the Dominican Republic focused on tackling organized crime. The announcement came following a meeting with Carlos Morales Troncoso, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic …. The specialized training courses will be offered to the Dominican Republic’s Dirección Nacional de Control de Drogas (national drug control directorate) (DNCD) and will focus on illicit drugs and organized crime investigations, evidence gathering and forensic interviewing techniques ….”
- Next CDS: Whoozit gonna be? “Defence Minister Peter MacKay has rejected criticism that the government is taking too long to choose the next head of Canada’s military. Speaking at Toronto’s historic Fort York, the minister said Wednesday that there are many qualified candidates to replace the outgoing chief of defence staff Walter Natynczyk. “What I can tell you is that the process is nearing completion,” MacKay said during an event to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. “It will be a cabinet decision and discussion that will occur before any announcement,” he said ….”
- The latest on the Halifax vets’ hospital food issue: the company’s side of the story “…. Careful consideration is given to the special needs that many veterans have, from dietary restrictions (such as sodium or cholesterol) to texture changes due to chewing and/or swallowing issues. We typically prepare five variations of a single item — regular consistency, chopped, diced, minced or pureed. These consistency changes are required to ensure each veteran can safely consume his or her meals. While the appearance of pureed roast beef does not resemble sliced roast beef, the veteran consuming it can still enjoy the flavour of the food. We currently have 55 different diets we must comply with. Our menu-planning philosophy reflects our commitment to the veterans, as well as the nutritional criteria that we must comply with, including sodium, fat and fibre requirements. We determine the nutritional value of every item served, as well as the daily menu as a whole ….” - more here.
- More on the calls for “no more animals in military medical research” “Canada’s military is being urged to end the use of live animals — principally pigs and goats — in training the nation’s battlefield doctors, a call prompted by the publication of a report in the journal Military Medicine that shows only six of 28 NATO countries still employ such techniques in an era when “superior non-animal training methods are widely available,” according to one of the study’s co-authors. “Growing public concern for animal welfare, advances in computerized medical simulation technology, educational considerations and economic barriers have drawn a critical eye to animal use in military medical training,” stated the study, produced by two U.S. researchers — Shalin Gala and Justin Goodman — from the animal-welfare organization PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, along with Maj. Michael Murphy from the Indiana University School of Medicine and Marion Balsam, former commander of Virginia’s Naval Medical Centre Portsmouth …. Goodman, associate director of PETA’s laboratory investigations department and a sociologist with Virginia’s Marymount University, was more blunt in subsequent comments to Postmedia News. “Canadian federal animal welfare guidelines require that alternatives to animal use be used whenever available,” he said, “and the (Department of National Defence) is continuing to violate these provisions since superior non-animal methods are widely available and in use around the world instead of crude animal labs.” …. “ You can peek at the original medical journal article here, and some interesting commentary on the media coverage at Milnet.ca here.
- Way Up North (1) “As Russia sets a course for a $137-billion Russian naval rebuilding program that will give it a stronger Arctic presence, Defence Minister Peter MacKay is talking up Canadian military investments. “We’re spending a great deal of time and effort and putting resources into protecting our sovereignty in the North,” said MacKay on Wednesday. ncluded in Canada’s $33-billion shipbuilding program is a fleet of new Arctic patrol ships. That’s still far smaller than the Russian program announced earlier this month that will include 16 new nuclear submarines. MacKay insists Canada is no slouch in the Arctic. “We’re very cognizant of the importance and the role of the Canadian Forces in protecting Canadian sovereignty,” he said. “That’s against any real or perceived threats.” He said Canada maintains yearly military operations in the region, like Operation Nanook, while “putting down firm and permanent footprints” through a deep-water refuelling station in Nanisivik, Nunavut ….”
- Way Up North (2) ANOTHER reason the CF has to keep its search and rescue capability in the north finely honed “The World is the largest privately owned yacht on the planet. Flagged in the Bahamas, the 196-metre vessel is essentially a luxury condo complex, with 165 units valued at up to $13-million each. Later this month, the ship will transit the Northwest Passage, at no small risk to its residents – and to Canada’s reputation as a competent coastal state. The voyage will not undermine Canada’s legal position that the Northwest Passage constitutes internal waters, since the World will request and receive permission before it sails through. Rather, the risk is of an accident involving more than 400 people in a remote and inhospitable region where Canada’s search-and-rescue capabilities are inadequate to the task …. So far, the World is the largest passenger vessel to sail the Northwest Passage. But dozens of much larger cruise ships already visit Greenland and Norway’s Svalbard Archipelago. They include the 3,780-passenger Costa Pacifica, the sister ship of the Costa Concordia, which ran onto the rocks off Italy earlier this year. It’s clear that Canada’s search-and-rescue capabilities require an emergency upgrade. Unless, that is, we’re willing to stand helplessly by – as hundreds or even thousands of foreign tourists die in what we proudly insist is our Arctic.”
- Speaking of search and rescue, “Search and rescue crews from 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron, 19 Wing Comox, B.C., responded to a small plane crash 30 kilometres west of Kelowna, B.C., on the evening of Monday, August 13. Royal Canadian Air Force search and rescue technicians (SAR techs), with help from local emergency crews from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Kelowna Fire Department, Provincial Ground SAR and B.C. Air Ambulance, were able to evacuate three survivors to hospital on RCAF and Air Ambulance helicopters. Unfortunately, a fourth occupant on board was declared deceased at the scene by first responders ….”
- War of 1812 Let the new battle honours begin! “The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence …. announced that Canadian Army regiments that perpetuate the history and heritage of War of 1812 units that defended our country during that conflict will be awarded a battle honour for the victory at the Battle of Detroit. Minister MacKay, joined by Ted Opitz, Member of Parliament for Etobicoke Centre, made the announcement at Fort York National Historic Site as part of the Government’s efforts to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812 ….” Some media coverage here, more on why specific units get the “Detroit” battle honour here and more info on the Battle o’ Detroit here.
