VZCZCXRO0850
OO RUEHGA RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #0840 3072036
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 032036Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0031
INFO ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS OTTAWA 000840
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MOPS SNAR CA XL
SUBJECT: CANADIAN WARSHIPS COMPLETE COUNTER-NARCOTICS OPERATION
REF: OTTAWA 196; 08 OTTAWA 649
1. (U) Summary: On October 30, two Canadian Forces (CF) warships
completed operations in support of Operation CARIBBE, Canada's
contribution to an ongoing U.S.-led, multi-national effort to
interdict drug trafficking in Caribbean and east Pacific waters.
The Canadian vessels provided surveillance capabilities to assist
law enforcement authorities to locate, track, and intercept illegal
activities off North America's coasts. Operation CARIBBE directly
supports the Canadian Government's objective of strengthening
Canadian interests in the region while addressing mutual security
concerns. End summary.
2. (U) Canada contributed HCMS Calgary from Canada's west coast
and HCMS Toronto from the east coast from September 17 to October
30 to the Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF South) to
provide surveillance capabilities in support of law enforcement
authorities as part of Operation CARIBBE. Canada contributed the
warships through Canada Command, the Canadian structure responsible
for routine and contingency operations in Canada and continental
North America. Established in February 2006 in response to the
global security situation in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks
on the United States, Canada Command works with domestic,
continental, and allied partners to anticipate and respond to
potential threats to Canada and North America, in accordance with
the "Canada First Defence Strategy" (refs a and b).
3. (U) In a statement, Canadian Chief of Defence Staff General Walt
Natynczyk noted that the interdiction operation "reflects Canada's
strategic interest in the region and demonstrates our capabilities
alongside our allies." He added that "participation in
counter-drug operations such as Operation CARIBBE contributes to
the safety and security of Canadians and helps meet the security
challenges of the world's longest coastline," as well as helping
the CF acquire new skills sets to ensure the safety and security of
Canada's own coasts and waterways.
4. (U) Under JIATF-South, based in Key West, Florida, Canada has
worked alongside partner nations in multinational drug surveillance
and interdiction operations in the Caribbean Basin and east Pacific
since November 2006. Since it began, the multinational operation
has annually stopped more than 200 metric tons of drugs from
entering North America in 2007 and 2008.
JACOBSON