A Canadian soldier who was scheduled to return home from Afghanistan in two days has been killed by an improvised explosive device.
The Defence department says Pte. Kevin McKay, who was based in Edmonton with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, died while on patrol at about 8 p.m. local time Thursday about 15 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city.Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of our fallen Canadian comrade during this sad time, the military said early Friday.
The commitment and sacrifice of our soldiers and their loved ones are helping to make a difference in the lives of the people of Kandahar province.
Our deepest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Pte McKay may they have the strength to see them through this sad event,in their lives, Pte McKay gave his life with honour for the freedoms of others.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/05/13/canadian-soldier.html?ref=rss#ixzz0ntRmdc1J
The Canadian navy is Mothballing 50 per cent of our coastal defence fleet. The reason given as usual is budgetary, and lack of crewmen. What a slap in the face only One week after celebrations for the 100th Anniversary of the formation of Canada's navy.
HMCS Shawinigan, based in Halifax, and 11 other coastal patrol ships were built in the mid-1990s. (CBC)
A shortage of money and sailors is forcing Canada's navy to mothball half of its fleet of 12 vessels used to patrol the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
In a statement to CBC News, the navy says it made the tough choice to leave several of the 55-metre vessels at dock in Halifax and Esquimalt, B.C., and strip them of their crews because it doesn't have the resources to operate them all.
The navy says the move is necessary to continue the primary mission of defending Canada.
Upon close examination of resources and priorities, this was deemed necessary to safeguard and optimize our operational capability, both now and in the future, wrote Denise LaViolette, a navy spokeswoman.
Three ships will remain on each coast. The others won't be scrapped, but they will be put in long-term storage.
The navy has not said how much money it would need to keep the whole fleet active, or how much it will save by reducing the fleet by half.
The Kingston-class ships were built in the mid-1990s to hunt for mines that could block Canadian ports. They are lightly armed and can be converted to carry a small underwater robot or even platoons of soldiers.
LaViolette said that, despite the navy's actions, the federal government is providing stable and predictable funding. She said the navy continues to modernize its frigates and refit its submarines.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2010/05/13/ns-navy-coastal-ships.html#ixzz0nqmReTaD
I for one find it difficult to believe that there are not enough sailors. When the media has been reporting record numbers at various recruiting sites. It strikes me funny that Provincial Governments like PEI can find 3/4 million dollars to bring a second rate TV show to PEi. Perhaps they should donate the funds to the Department of National Defence. Surely funds can be redirected in Ottawa as this cutback affects our coastal security, including the Arctic.
Please Show your support for our troops.
Nil Sine labore
Robby
