VZCZCXRO0850
OO RUEHGA RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #0840 3072036
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 032036Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0031
INFO ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000840 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MOPS SNAR CA XL
SUBJECT: CANADIAN WARSHIPS COMPLETE COUNTER-NARCOTICS OPERATION 
 
REF: OTTAWA 196; 08 OTTAWA 649 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary: On October 30, two Canadian Forces (CF) warships 
completed operations in support of Operation CARIBBE, Canada's 
contribution to an ongoing U.S.-led, multi-national effort to 
interdict drug trafficking in Caribbean and east Pacific waters. 
The Canadian vessels provided surveillance capabilities to assist 
law enforcement authorities to locate, track, and intercept illegal 
activities off North America's coasts.  Operation CARIBBE directly 
supports the Canadian Government's objective of strengthening 
Canadian interests in the region while addressing mutual security 
concerns.  End summary. 
 
 
 
¶2.  (U) Canada contributed HCMS Calgary from Canada's west coast 
and HCMS Toronto from the east coast from September 17 to October 
30 to the Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF South) to 
provide surveillance capabilities in support of law enforcement 
authorities as part of Operation CARIBBE.  Canada contributed the 
warships through Canada Command, the Canadian structure responsible 
for routine and contingency operations in Canada and continental 
North America.  Established in February 2006 in response to the 
global security situation in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks 
on the United States, Canada Command works with domestic, 
continental, and allied partners to anticipate and respond to 
potential threats to Canada and North America, in accordance with 
the "Canada First Defence Strategy" (refs a and b). 
 
 
 
¶3. (U) In a statement, Canadian Chief of Defence Staff General Walt 
Natynczyk noted that the interdiction operation "reflects Canada's 
strategic interest in the region and demonstrates our capabilities 
alongside our allies."  He added that "participation in 
counter-drug operations such as Operation CARIBBE contributes to 
the safety and security of Canadians and helps meet the security 
challenges of the world's longest coastline," as well as helping 
the CF acquire new skills sets to ensure the safety and security of 
Canada's own coasts and waterways. 
 
 
 
¶4. (U) Under JIATF-South, based in Key West, Florida, Canada has 
worked alongside partner nations in multinational drug surveillance 
and interdiction operations in the Caribbean Basin and east Pacific 
since November 2006.  Since it began, the multinational operation 
has annually stopped more than 200 metric tons of drugs from 
entering North America in 2007 and 2008. 
JACOBSON