Backgrounder (REVISED)

From the Prime Minister's Web Site (http://www.pm.gc.ca/)

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Backgrounder: Operation NANOOK 10

August 25, 2010
Resolute Bay, Nunavut

The Harper Government is taking action to protect and assert Canada's sovereignty in the North, which is a crucial part of Canada's Northern Strategy. The Strategy is designed to assert and defend Canada's sovereignty, to protect the unique and fragile Arctic ecosystem, to develop a strong Northern economy and to encourage good governance and greater local control and opportunity.

Among other actions, the Government has announced it will establish a Canadian Forces Arctic Training Centre in Resolute Bay to support Arctic training and operations, as well as expand and re-equip the Canadian Rangers – the "eyes and ears" of the Canadian Forces in remote regions across northern Canada. The Government will also establish a deep water Arctic docking and refuelling facility at Nanisivik, which will extend the operational range of the Navy in the Arctic. To further strengthen Canada's ability to protect its northern territory, the Government is building a new Polar Class icebreaker for the North, the largest and most powerful icebreaker Canada has ever owned. It is also equipping the Canadian Forces with several Arctic offshore patrol ships. By taking these and other concrete actions, the Government is continuing to build and carry out its vision to strengthen Canada's sovereignty in the North, fulfilling an important commitment to Canadians.

Operation NANOOK is the centrepiece of three major sovereignty operations conducted each year by the Canadian Forces in Canada's North.

Following the success of previous operations, Operation NANOOK 10 will be conducted in Canada's Eastern and High Arctic, from August 6 to 26. Army, Navy and Air Force personnel will be working under the command of the Joint Task Force (North) (JFTN). As one of six regional commands reporting to Canada Command in Ottawa, JTFN is responsible for the conduct of routine and contingency operations in Canada's North. JFTN is headquartered in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, and commanded by Brigadier-General Guy Hamel.

The operation this year will include the following two components: Exercise NATSIQ and Exercise TALLURUTIIT. Natsiq is an Inuktitut word for Ringed Seal and Tallurutiit is the Inuktitut word for a woman's traditional chin tattoo. It is also used by the Inuit to refer to the Northwest Passage because of a distinctive geographical feature resembling the tattoo.

Exercise NATSIQ is the sovereignty and presence patrolling exercise portion of Operation NANOOK 10, employing the Canadian Forces in the air, on land, and at sea. The air component of NATSIQ will provide all air movements, and essential mission support to land and naval operations. The land force will exercise its capabilities in integrating with the Canadian Rangers and conduct land operations in the Arctic. The Navy will lead maritime operations with the Canadian Coast Guard, the United States Navy 2nd Fleet, the United States Coast Guard and the Royal Danish Navy under the auspices of enhancing a collective capability to cooperate in Arctic waters and to develop the capability of these Arctic nations to work together.

Exercise TALLURUTIIT is the whole-of-Government portion of Operation NANOOK 10. Led by the Canadian Coast Guard, TALLURUTIIT involves over 12 governmental departments and agencies, including the Government of Canada, the Government of Nunavut and the community of Resolute Bay. Exercise TALLURUTIIT will focus on environmental containment and remediation resulting from a simulated tanker fuel leak. The aim of the exercise is to train Canadian Rangers and community volunteers in tanker fuel spill response techniques, including clean-up.

In all, Operation NANOOK 10 will include over 900 participants from the Canadian Forces.

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The Prime Minister's Office - Communications
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