Guarding our northern boarders....

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

With the Russkies on high alert for border incursions and looking for excuses to attack their neighbours and exploit weakness in American forces ,Steve better play it cool with our northern boarders and Arctic sovereignty grabs..
Or we may be Georgia ,north...
But I'll sharpen my pitchfork,now that my guns are all gone...

Aug 19, 2008 14:32 ET
Canadian Forces Lead Sovereignty Operation in Arctic

YELLOWKNIFE, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES--(Marketwire - Aug. 19, 2008) - The Canadian Forces today launched their largest annual Arctic sovereignty operation. Operation NANOOK will take place in the Eastern Arctic from August 19 to 26 and will include many of the Canadian Forces' civil and law enforcement partners in the North.

"As announced in the Speech From the Throne, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and our government have developed a Northern Strategy that focuses on strengthening Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic," said the Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, the Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. "Canadian Forces-led operations like NANOOK, will provide the necessary support to implement this strategy as we continue to assert control over this great area."

"The Canadian military is committed to the North and to protecting Canada's sovereignty over the region," said General Walt Natynczyk, Chief of the defence Staff. "Operation NANOOK is evidence of this commitment which brings together the men and women of the Army, Navy, and Air Force with our partners in defence and security to ensure protection of our Arctic waters."

"Exercising Canadian sovereignty in the North is a key mission for the Canadian Forces," said Vice-Admiral Dean McFadden, Commander of Canada Command. "Today, as we launch our largest annual Arctic sovereignty operation, we are clearly demonstrating our commitment to a real, growing and long-term presence in the Arctic."

Operation NANOOK 2008 is one of three major sovereignty operations conducted every year by the Canadian Forces in Canada's North. This year's operation includes exercise scenarios with simulated maritime emergencies, including the evacuation of a ship in distress and an oil spill. These exercises are designed to develop and refine relationships between various agencies that assist in the government's approach to Arctic sovereignty.

This year's operation involves approximately 600 Canadian Forces members working alongside personnel from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian Coast Guard, Public Safety, Health Canada, Canada Border Services Agency, Emergency Management Office Nunavut and others. Operation NANOOK is being conducted by Joint Task Force North (JTFN). As one of six regional commands reporting to Canada Command in Ottawa, JTFN is responsible for the conduct of all routine and contingency operations in Canada's North. JTFN is headquartered in Yellowknife, N.W.T., and commanded by Brigadier-General David Millar.

Note to Editors:

B-Roll footage will be available throughout the operation from the Combat Camera FTP site at: http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca...batcamera/news

Still imagery will be available to media and the general public from the Combat Camera website at: www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca

[Ken Hughes]

Hey there Alex,isnt nanook of the north something to do with Frank Zappa?