2024: Reports of plans to evacuate Canadians from the Lebanon/Middle East

[FormerHorseGuard]

National Post aka Post Media is reporting the Government of Canada is in the planning stage of evacuating 45 000 Canadians from the Middle East due to the war in Gaza, Lebanon and Israel.

They are suggesting Canadian troops are already in the area to start the planning and staging areas.
Lebanon, Israel, Cyprus, and Greece.

I am guessing Navy, Air Force assets plus civilian assets like cruise ships, and chartered jets. Last time the government took this sort of action the Canadians were made up of dual citizenships and most ended up returning back to the Middle East.
15 000 people were evacuated last time and huge uproar over the fact some had never lived in Canada but held a Canadian Passport.

I am wondering the cost, and who are the people that they are offering to evacuating from the war zone. Good thing we just purchased new aircraft, and we have arctic patrol ships that can set sail for the Middle East .

story is on National Post 24 June 2024, has been updated.

 

[dapaterson]

"Government of Canada plans for contingency" should not be news.

 

[Jarnhamar]

National Post aka Post Media is reporting the Government of Canada is in the planning stage of evacuating 45 000 Canadians from the Middle East due to the war in Gaza, Lebanon and Israel.

It'd be funny if Lebanon didn't let them leave and instead pressed em into service.

 

[Booter]

I imagine a lot of the planning is identifying what we don’t have that we would need to get it done.

 

[GK .Dundas]

We've been here before, haven't we.

 

[Quirky]

Hasn’t there been a notice to leave the area for months now? People are just wanting free rides at this point.

 

[OldSolduer]

We've been here before, haven't we.

Oh yes and the evacuees complained about how they were fed.

Canadians of convenience.

 

[GK .Dundas]

From what I learned about the ships we hired and the companies that owned and operated them . Those people had every right to complain .
According to guy I meet some years after the event. He was actually impressed they hadn't had any one die of food poisoning and they actually managed to make port. .
I guess that happens when have you have no choice , no time and very few People in government familiar dealing with those sort of situations.

 

[The Bread Guy]

National Post aka Post Media is reporting the Government of Canada is in the planning stage of evacuating 45 000 Canadians from the Middle East due to the war in Gaza, Lebanon and Israel ...

More from ISR media ...

Canada is preparing to evacuate 45,000 of its citizens from Lebanon should a full-scale war break out between Israel and Hezbollah, Hebrew media reported on Friday.

The Channel 12 report quoted what it said was a tense conversation held earlier in the day between Foreign Minister Israel Katz and his Canadian counterpart Mélanie Joly. The latter was said to have told Katz that Ottawa had already sent military forces to the region in preparation for “the largest evacuation we have ever undertaken,” amid fears of an escalation in violence between Israel and Hezbollah along the border with Lebanon.

It was unclear if similar plans were being made for the roughly 35,000 Canadian citizens living in Israel.

Katz reportedly urged Joly to put pressure on Hezbollah’s Iranian backers to reign in the terror group.

“The window of opportunity is closing,” Katz was quoted as saying. “Israel will not put up with… the situation where residents of the north can’t return to their homes.” ...

 

[Quirky]

“The window of opportunity is closing,” Katz was quoted as saying. “Israel will not put up with… the situation where residents of the north can’t return to their homes.” ...

A northern front for Israel is likely inevitable.

 

[Rifleman62]

Liberals desperate for a few votes.

 

[dimsum]

Liberals desperate for a few votes.

"Government of Canada plans for contingency" should not be news.

 

[RangerRay]

"Government of Canada plans for contingency" should not be news.

But with this government, it is news. They manage to get caught flat-footed on the most mundane of “emergencies”.

To be fair, the provinces haven’t been covering themselves with glory either.

 

[Navy_Pete]

But with this government, it is news. They manage to get caught flat-footed on the most mundane of “emergencies”.

To be fair, the provinces haven’t been covering themselves with glory either.

I don't really see evacuating (like dual citizen) Canadians living overseas, in a country that has been at war for eight months, and generally some levels of war for 2 millenia to be an emergency though, as it just didn't come out of no where.

At a certain point it become a 'you' problem, especially when it's months after your government tells you to leave the area. If you have citizenship of that country as well, really should be on that government to protect you first and evacuate you if required.

 

[Blackadder1916]

. . . in the planning stage of evacuating 45 000 Canadians from the Middle East . . .

No shit! When hearing this term I'm always reminded of this scene from The Wire.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Latest from CP: no guarantees, folks ....

Ottawa warns more than 20,000 Canadians there is no guaranteed Lebanon evacuation

OTTAWA — Global Affairs Canada is warning more than 20,000 Canadians in Lebanon that they can't rely on government evacuation flights if war engulfs that country.

ca.news.yahoo.com

Mod note: also changing the thread title a bit to reflect the latest evacuation from Lebanon, as opposed to the last time this was hashed out around these parts. We'll keep the latest version separate for now to keep the thread length manageable, and consider merging later. Milnet.ca Staff

 

[OldSolduer]

At a certain point it become a 'you' problem, especially when it's months after your government tells you to leave the area. If you have citizenship of that country as well, really should be on that government to protect you first and evacuate you if required.

Some of you will disagree but if you are a Canadian of convenience and get caught it the "old country" you can damn well stay there. Look to the "old country" to protect you.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Some of you will disagree but if you are a Canadian of convenience and get caught it the "old country" you can damn well stay there. Look to the "old country" to protect you.

No argument here. I thought it was bullshit before and I still do. If you spend more time in the homeland than you do in Canada, you don't get a ticket. Too many spend the minimal time in Canada in order to take advantage of our benefits and passports.

 

[GK .Dundas]

I'm of two minds on the whole dual/ multiple citizen thing.
Now having said that it speaks volumes about Canada. That since the last time we did this 2005 or so.
Aside from the C 17 purchase and the C330s . We haven't really planned or purchased. for this sort of thing.
One of the reasons I honestly think the reluctance to purchase certain types of military equipment is that certain people in government are convinced that if you buy this stuff you will HAVE to use it .
Personally I'd rather have the option of being to choose. But if all else fails actually having the option of doing something rather than a panicked rush to either charter either more aircraft or ships.
Or begging our allies.
Welcome to the little Canada state of mind .

 

[PuckChaser]

NEO needs to stop evacuating people from countries with active international airports. I can book a flight to Beruit tomorrow. If these people want out they can get out, they just want a free ride.