The office of National Defense Minister Bill Blair said sending a Canadian ship to Cuba, where it docked alongside part of the Russian fleet, was a “carefully” planned move to increase its presence in the region.
Spokesman Daniel Minden issued a statement saying that the visit was to the port of Havana It was planned carefully and meticulously
The Minister authorized this on the advice of the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Joint Operations Command.
We made the small choice of increasing our naval presence in the region. We think it's important to show Canadian presence.
Canadian Minister of National Defence
Photo: The Canadian Press/Darren Calabrese
Conservatives criticized the decision on social media after Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie said CBC During a recent interview, she said she was not aware that one of the Canadian patrol boats was docking in Havana at the same time as the Russian ships.
This is new information to me.
The Minister announced the hosting of David Cochrane.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre issued a statement on X inviting the visitReckless, radical and dangerous
.
While our forces are under-resourced, Trudeau spends the defense budget and sends a Canadian military ship to Cuba alongside the Russian Navy to honor Cuba's brutal communist government.
“, Mr. Poilievre wrote.
Conservative critic for national defense affairs abroad, James Bezan, believes that this action requires an investigation by the Permanent Defense Committee. He would like Ministers Jolie and Blair to appear on this issue.
Canadian fight against the Russian invasion
The visit to Havana is the first by the Canadian Navy since 2016, and comes at a time when Canada has sent billions of dollars in aid and military equipment to Ukraine to help it fight the Russian invasion.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself returned to Canada on Sunday after a summit organized in Switzerland for peace in Ukraine.
During his stay, Mr. Trudeau pledged $52 million in aid to Ukraine and co-chaired a session in which he discussed the need for the international community to call for the return of nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children forcibly expelled from their homes by Russia.
Justin Trudeau and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky participated in the Ukrainian Peace Summit this weekend.
Photography: Reuters/Alessandro Della Valle
Defense spokesman Daniel Minden says Canada has done just that Wise choice
to increase its naval presence in the region, adding that one of its warships, HMCS Ville de Québec, and a patrol aircraft were monitoring the Russian fleet.
In a message published this week on the social network Canada and Cuba have long-standing bilateral relations
.
The visit of HMCS Margaret Brooke is scheduled to continue from 14 to 17 June.
“Total coffee aficionado. Travel buff. Music ninja. Bacon nerd. Beeraholic.”
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