#opUNIFIER: UCC Renews Call on Government of Canada to Extend Military Training Mission to Ukraine
Canadian Instructor with Ukrainian soldiers during live-fire exercise, Starychi, Ukraine (Photo – Canada’s Department of National Defence)
Canada’s military training mission in Ukraine (Operation UNIFIER) is scheduled to conclude on March 31, 2017. Currently 200 Canadian Armed Forces personnel are deployed to Ukraine to provide Ukrainian soldiers with tactical soldier training. It is of crucial importance that Canada continue its commitment to train Ukraine’s military and security personnel, at current or increased levels of CAF personnel participation, through 2020.
The best way to ensure peace and stability in Ukraine and the region is to enable Ukraine’s defensive capability with a well-trained and outfitted military. As one of Ukraine’s most reliable friends and partners, Canada has played an important leadership role in supporting and strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
At the end of January, Russian and proxy forces began massive artillery and Grad rocket shelling of Ukrainian positions and residential areas of Avdiivka. During the week of 28 January – 3 February alone, 17 Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 96 Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in action on the eastern front.
As Ukraine’s armed forces and security personnel continue to defend their country against Russian aggression, Canada’s meaningful military support is critical. Please support the UCC’s call to advocate for the extension and enhancement of Canada’s commitment to providing military training and resources to Ukraine.
How You Can Make a Difference
Write to your Member of Parliament (MP) and the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, to express your support for continuing Canada’s training mission. The UCC has provided a template letter that you can send to the Prime Minister and your MP (by email* and/or physically – which does not need a stamp). Please find the template letter here
You can write to Prime Minister Trudeau at
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2
or at http://pm.gc.ca/eng/connect
You can find your local MP here. Thank you for joining the UCC to help ensure that Canada remains committed to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine.
Thank you to all those who have participated in the UCC’s Call to Action to extend Canada’s military training mission in Ukraine!
*Note: if contacting by email, Include your address and postal code so that the representative is aware that you are a part of their constituency.
