Home Newsroom 2006 News releases 2006-04-28: Security exercise practices coordinated response

Security exercise practices coordinated response

OTTAWA, April 28, 2006 -- Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada and the Department of National Defence will conduct the Canadian component of Exercise ARDENT SENTRY 2006 (AS 06). This bilateral national exercise with United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) will take place in Canada from May 1 to 12 and in the U.S. from May 8 to 18, 2006. The exercise will test federal government and federal-provincial coordination and response to a variety of simulated domestic crises.

This exercise will involve scenarios related to threats to infrastructure, public health and marine security. The exercise will focus on the whole-of-government coordinated response through the federal Government Operations Centre (GOC) in Ottawa.

A total of 15 federal government departments will be represented in the GOC and regionally throughout the exercise. The provinces of Ontario and New Brunswick will also participate in the exercise and will activate their provincial emergency operations centres.

“ARDENT SENTRY 2006 will support the Government of Canada’s ongoing work to prepare for and respond to emergencies of national significance, in collaboration with our U.S. and provincial partners,” said the Hon. Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety. “This functional exercise is an example of the federal government’s ongoing commitment to protecting Canadians and to working with our partners on all fronts.”

The Canadian Forces, in particular the recently created Canada Command, will concentrate on military procedures in aid of civil authorities and coordination with all levels of government.

“This is the first major exercise which will allow Canada Command to train with federal and provincial departments and agencies. Exercises such as ARDENT SENTRY 2006 help to ensure we respond to domestic threats and natural disasters in a coordinated manner,” said the Hon. Gordon O’Connor, Minister of National Defence. “ARDENT SENTRY 06 will also allow an opportunity for cross border information sharing by Canada Command with U.S. Northern Command.”

There will be some movement of Canadian Forces personnel and equipment in Atlantic Canada and U.S. military personnel and equipment in the U.S.

See also:

• Backgrounder
  
  

For further information:

Media Relations
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
(613) 991-0657

Media Liaison Office
Department of National Defence
(613) 996-2353/2354

Jude Kelly
Emergency Management Ontario
(416) 314-8602

Catherine Richard
New Brunswick Department of Public Safety (EMO)
(506) 444-5267

Backgrounder

Canada and the United States have traditionally undertaken bilateral emergency exercises in order to ensure their joint preparedness and appropriate coordination of efforts. Exercise ARDENT SENTRY 2006 (AS 06) will comprise command post and field training exercises and live-fly events involving USNORTHCOM and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the Department of National Defence (DND), Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC) and a number of federal and provincial departments and agencies. The provinces of New Brunswick and Ontario and the states of Arizona and Michigan are also participating in the exercise.

The ARDENT SENTRY Exercise series are U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff directed and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) sponsored Homeland Defense and Defense Support to Civil Authorities exercises. The key objective of this exercise series is to validate plans that support assistance to civil authorities.

The exercise will be conducted in Canada during the period of May 1 to 12 and in the U.S. from May 8 to 18, 2006.

The exercise scenarios were designed by USNORTHCOM, PSEPC and Canada Command. The scenarios include issues related to terrorism threats, critical infrastructure protection, cross-border information sharing, public health and marine security.

During the course of threats to national security or during domestic operations, civil authorities have the lead for government response. As part of its mandate, when requested, the Canadian Forces will provide military assistance to civil authorities in order to protect and defend Canada.

Canada Command is the Canadian Forces formation responsible for the conduct of all routine and contingency domestic operations. During the exercise, Canada Command will task two of its six Regional Joint Task Forces ( Atlantic and Central) to coordinate responses to a variety of threats and events.

The following departments and agencies will participate in varying degrees in the exercise:

Department of National Defence (DND)
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC)
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Transport Canada
Health Canada
Public Health Agency of Canada
Environment Canada
Canada Border Services Agency
Foreign Affairs Canada
Justice Canada
Privy Council Office (PCO)
Communications Security Establishment (CSE)
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
New Brunswick (NB) Emergency Management Office (EMO) Operations
NB Security Emergencies Directorate
NB Department of Health Emergency Operations Centre (EOC)
NB Department of Health
NB Department of Natural Resources
NB other government departments
Emergency Management Ontario

• Canada Command
• U.S. Northern Command