Courtesy of our friends at the Globe and Mail:
Reproduced under the fair dealings provision of the copy write act and all that jazz.
Rapid-response air unit seen as policy shift
MATT HARTLEY
From Saturday's Globe and Mail
July 21, 2007 at 12:31 AM EDT
OTTAWA — An air force unit capable of rapid deployment will be established at Canadian Forces Base Bagotville in northwestern Quebec, the government said yesterday, a move seen by some experts as a major shift away from Canada's traditional military role as a peacekeeper.
Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor said the government would spend about $300-million on equipment and other costs to set up the unit, and would add 550 new troops to the base over seven years.
"What this unit does is allow the air force to establish an operating air field anywhere in the world, even in remote areas of the North," Mr. O'Connor said in an interview.
It was the second major military announcement in as many days in a province where the military enjoys less support than in other parts of the country, and where the Conservatives must pick up seats to win a majority government.
On Thursday, Mr. O'Connor announced $200-million in funding to resurrect the Saint-Jean campus of the Royal Military College in Quebec, a move designed to draw more potential francophone officers into the Canadian Forces. CFB Bagotville is the only predominantly French-speaking air base in the country.
Some experts see the military's new emphasis on rapid troop deployment as a major shift in both defence and foreign policy.
"We're acquiring the capacity to project forces overseas into difficult areas by buying the equipment that will allow us to go there, and by creating units such as this," said Colonel Michel Drapeau, a Canadian Forces veteran and military analyst.
"Obviously this government intends to have Canada back to where it was a number of years ago, in playing a more active role as a middle power in security operations, wherever these may take place — which is a departure from what we've done for the last 20 years."
This month, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a $3.1-billion government expenditure to establish a fleet of six to eight Canadian-made Arctic patrol ships, as well as build a deep-water port, to defend Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic.
"What we're seeing now is a manifestation of this government's unequivocal decision to change the character of the Forces," Mr. Drapeau said. "This government wants to make sure the Canadian military is now a force to be reckoned with and a force that will be ready for deployment as, and when, required."
The new Air Expeditionary Wing will have the capacity to provide a control tower, radar, security engineers and any other infrastructure needed to establish and maintain an airfield anywhere in the world. It is similar to units already employed by the U.S. Air Force. (my emphasis added)
Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn, the local MP, said the move would pump between $80-million and $85-million yearly into the Saguenay regional economy.
Bloc Québécois defence critic Claude Bachand said the Conservative government will be disappointed if they think Quebeckers will change their minds regarding Canada's role in Afghanistan.
"I don't think running around throwing a little bit of money on one side or another will change the opinion of the Quebeckers concerning the mission," he said.
Liberal defence critic Denis Coderre said the announcement amounted to little more than political posturing ahead of by-elections in Quebec.
"It appears that we're becoming more focused on being prepared to participate in missions around the world, in coalitions of the willing, rather than following an independent Canadian foreign policy — and I find that troubling," NDP defence critic Dawn Black said.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070721.wdefence20/BNStory/National/
I recall reading not so long ago about a "Mission Support Squadron" or something to that effect in Wpg. Now, I can't quite recall all of the details, however I wonder if it is in any way similar to this Air Expeditionary Wing being created at Bagotville?
P