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It’s uncommon that Canadian warships be a part of Royal Navy formations, however ‘ship deployments are usually deliberate lengthy upfront’
Printed Apr 07, 2025 • Final up to date 8 minutes in the past • 4 minute learn
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Family and friends watch as HMCS Ville de Quebec leaves Halifax on Monday, April 7, 2025. Photograph by Ryan Taplin /The Chronicle Herald
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It was a departure in two methods.
The Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec slipped out of Halifax Monday morning to hitch a United Kingdom service strike group on a seven-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific. Canadian warships usually combine with American service strike teams, however officers and army watchers insisted Monday the choice to sail with the Brits as a substitute this time was a 12 months or extra within the planning and has nothing to do with U.S. President Donald Trump’s current ramblings about making Canada the 51st state.
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“That is only a comfortable coincidence,” stated Ken Hansen, a army analyst and former navy commander.
It’s “additionally a little bit of a symbolic change,” he stated.
“The federal government is speaking about disconnecting or decoupling the diplomatic and financial elements of our community with the Individuals and now you would view it symbolically as simply extra of the identical in a army method,” Hansen stated. “We’ll by no means be capable of decouple fully from america army for the position that we play in continental safety and security of our transport and ports, however for this type of factor, the place they’re deploying to a overseas theatre, you possibly can simply hook up with the Brits or the French or anyone you select to as a result of the NATO alliance makes all of that attainable.”
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Canadian warships steadily function with U.S. Navy service strike teams and it’s uncommon that they be a part of Royal Navy formations besides after they occur to be crusing in the identical waters, in response to Paul Mitchell, a professor on the Canadian Forces Faculty in Toronto.
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However he doubts Canada determined to sail with the Brits as a substitute this time due to Trump’s robust speak.
“Ship deployments are usually deliberate lengthy upfront. Engagements with overseas process teams particularly so,” Mitchell stated.
And whereas final month’s Halifax go to by a French nuclear-powered submarine drew numerous eyeballs as Trump raised the temperature on Canada, that, too, would have been “deliberate effectively upfront,” Mitchell stated.
“Backside line: whereas well timed, none of this was seemingly timed to coincide with current occasions,” he stated.
Commander Peter MacNeil speaks with reporters as HMCS Ville de Quebec prepares to go away Halifax on Monday, April 7, 2025. The Ville de Quebec is being deployed to the Indo-Pacific area as a part of Operation Horizon. Photograph by Ryan Taplin /The Chronicle Herald
The frigate’s skipper is eager to be crusing with the Brits.
“This a superb alternative as a result of now that the U.Ok. has their two carriers that they alternate for his or her deployments, I’ve had the chance to go over to their headquarters, meet with the command groups and the service process group commander,” stated Cmdr. Peter MacNeil. “We’re being extra than simply interoperable, however being built-in into the service strike group.”
MacNeil didn’t need wade into Trump’s discuss taking on Canada.
“The most effective factor I can do is to maintain this crew protected, conduct the operations to the most effective of my capacity and my coaching after 20 plus years within the service,” he stated. “I don’t have a political opinion; I perform my orders.”
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Ville de Quebec’s journey will circumnavigate the globe, taking its 242 sailors throughout the Atlantic Ocean, by means of the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, over into the South China Sea across the Pacific and again to the Atlantic, through the Panama Canal, then dwelling to Nova Scotia.
The frigate will spend a lot of the deployment with a multinational naval drive, led by HMS Prince of Wales, a Queen Elizabeth-class plane service.
“It’s the primary time this ship has particularly deployed to the Indo-Pacific,” MacNeil stated of Ville de Quebec. “In order that’s very thrilling for us and a key milestone.”
The routing and who the Canadian warship could be working with “was solidified” over the past 12 months, MacNeil stated.
The journey will embrace loads of struggle video games.
“We’re going to conduct anti-submarine warfare serials, numerous workout routines, coaching,” MacNeil stated. “Being with the service, we’ve got a chance to do numerous stay monitoring with stay plane.”
Dennis Oake holds his granddaughter Everly, 3, as they wave to Everly’s dad, Sailor First Class Andrew Oake, as he leaves Halifax aboard HMCS Ville de Quebec on Monday, April 7, 2025. Photograph by Ryan Taplin /The Chronicle Herald
There’s “all the time an inherent threat” concerned in naval deployments, he stated. “It could possibly be something from an incident inside the ship the place a bit of kit fails to, maybe, one thing emerges internationally.”
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For the following three weeks, sea coaching specialists carrying crimson caps will put the ship’s crew by means of their paces “to present us some surprises, see how we react and allow us to improve our commonplace working procedures and the way we’re going to take care of ways in an rising atmosphere,” MacNeil stated.
“Then we’ll be as prepared as we might be ought to something erupt worldwide.”
The Stadacona Band performed Coronary heart of Oak as Ville de Quebec left the dock, despite the fact that the navy is steering away from the naval march as a result of the centuries-old anthem comprises references to colonialism and slavery, and doesn’t signify everybody who wears the uniform, together with girls and Francophones. However the band additionally delved into extra trendy fare as households bought one final likelihood to blow their sailors a kiss, together with jaunty takes on the Spice Women’ Cease and Canadian singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen’s Name me possibly.
Janet Whalen was on the dock to wave goodbye to her son, Bradley, a cook dinner on Ville de Quebec.
Was she happier that he’s crusing with the Brits than the Individuals? “By no means actually considered it really,” Whalen stated. “However, in the intervening time, sure…. Simply the best way issues are proper now. It’s loopy.”
Carl McWilliams was on the pier in Halifax to ship off his stepson, Nicholas Soucy.
“Proper now, I’d fairly British than American, completely,” McWilliams stated of Ville de Quebec’s plane carrying dance accomplice for this deployment.
“I used to be within the navy. So, I personally would fairly be crusing with the Brits proper now,” he stated. “It’s a very good wake-up name for us.”
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