Article - CAF working North of 60

September 12, 2013

Operation NANOOK 2013 took place in an urban setting for the first time since the series began in 2007. Its proximity to several layers of government administration allowed for a greater exercise of Whole of Government efforts to serve Canadians North of 60.

Op NANOOK 2013’s Whitehorse, Yukon scenario took place from August 2 to 9. It employed the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in the air and on land, including its 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group, while providing support to territorial and municipal partners in the context of Disaster Relief Operations. More specifically, the Canadian Armed Forces were tasked to provide assistance to Government of Yukon as a result of a notional wildfire that was threatening the City of Whitehorse.

 “For this operation, the Government of Yukon determined what its biggest challenge might be, decided what emergency procedures it wanted to rehearse, and designed an exercise that would practice how the Canadian Armed Forces would support them,” stated Lieutenant-General Stuart Beare, commander Canadian Joint Operations Command.  “Practicing a disaster response scenario before you face a real-time emergency situation is always in our shared interests.”

In the Arctic, responding to emergencies requires a coordinated team approach. The knowledge and experience gained with our northern partners during safety and security training events enhance the CAF interoperability with other governmental departments and agencies. Training exercises such as this build our collective capacity to respond to emergencies in the Arctic.

 “Through increased co-operation with our Yukon partners, Joint Task Force (North) is doing its part to tackle defence, safety and security matters here in the North,” said Brigadier-General Greg Loos, commander Joint Task Force (North).  “On any given day, the Canadian Armed Forces are ready to deploy to aid citizens in distress, assist in natural disasters, and contribute to safety and security measures on behalf of the federal government.”

 “Operation NANOOK 2013 provided an opportunity for the Canadian Armed Forces, Government of Yukon, and the City of Whitehorse to work closely together to solve a complex problem,” stated Lieutenant-Colonel John St. Dennis, commanding officer Joint Task Force (North) Forward Whitehorse.  “This operation has made them more aware of what the Canadian Armed Forces can offer and how we can assist them achieve their public safety needs in times of crisis.”

 “Relationships are everything in the North, and I will continue to strengthen Joint Task Force (North)’s partnerships with our federal, territorial and municipal partners, as well as with the people in our Northern communities,” stated BGen Loos.  “By working together, we can continue to provide safety and security in the North.”