Media Advisory

Deployment of DART Advance Party Personnel

MA-05.057 - October 14, 2005

OTTAWA – Media are invited to attend the departure of the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) advance party, which will deploy to Pakistan as part of the Government of Canada’s contribution to relief efforts following the earthquake that struck South Asia on Oct. 8, 2005.

• Where: The Canada Reception Centre (old hangar 11) at Canadian Forces Support Unit (Ottawa) Uplands, beside the Ottawa International Airport.
• When: The aircraft is scheduled to depart Friday October 14 at 7 p.m. Media should arrive at 6 p.m. in order to conduct interviews prior to departure.

Lieutenant-General Marc J. Dumais, the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff, and Colonel Pat Stogran, Commander Canadian Forces Joint Headquarters, will be in attendance for the departure and will be available to speak to the media.

The DART advance party will travel to Islamabad, Pakistan aboard a Canadian Forces CC-150 Polaris aircraft. The advance party will link-up with the DART reconnaissance team in Islamabad. The advance party consists of approximately 24 personnel who will make preparations for the arrival of the main body.

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NOTE TO THE EDITOR: Media interested in attending should contact the Media Liaison Office at 613-996-2353 to confirm the departure time. After 5 p.m. media should contact Major Jean Morissette at 613-371-5957 with any urgent enquiries.

More information on the DART can be found at on the Canadian Forces website at:

http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/operations/DART/index_e.asp