THUNDER BAY – Northwestern Ontario will have a significant military presence very soon. From February 13th to 21st from Pickle Lake and into thirteen northern First Nations communities there will be about nine hundred soldiers participating in Trillium Response – a training exercise.
The soldiers will be gaining experience in dealing with northern conditions, and the Canadian Rangers will be participating in the training across the communities that the Canadian soldiers will be in.
“The protection of our northern borders remains a key security priority for Canada. The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces are fully committed to exercising our northern sovereignty and these Arctic training scenarios allow us to demonstrate greater visible presence in Canada’s North,” said Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence.
The entire military exercise starts today and runs across parts of Northern Canada until March, approximately 2,500 Canadian Army soldiers from the Regular Force, Primary Reserve and the Canadian Rangers, will be training in several areas of Canada’s North. The Canadian Army aims to maintain and sharpen its operational capabilities in austere Arctic environments.
The Canadian Army maintains readiness and continues to enhance its ability to operate in the North by training in highly challenging conditions in some of Canada’s most isolated regions. Troops will develop and test their advanced cold-weather survival skills, as well as prepare for quick responses to simulated threats and domestic emergencies, such as natural disasters, extreme weather events and other hazards. Highlights of the exercises will include parachute jumps and engagement involving remote First Nations communities.
The exercises offer soldiers a valuable opportunity to collaborate with the Canadian Rangers, local communities, as well as other government departments and agencies. Soldiers from the United States Army National Guard, the New Zealand and Polish Armed Forces have also been invited to take part in the training in an effort to strengthen interoperability between Canada and these nations.
TRILLIUM RESPONSE
Location: Pickle Lake and 13 remote First Nations communities in Northern Ontario
Dates: 13 February – 21 February, 2016
Size: Approximately 900 soldiers
Lead: 4th Canadian Division
