Canadian naval ships are deployed from Halifax for the NATO mission

Two Royal Canadian Navy ships have left Halifax Harbor to take part in a NATO mission in the Baltic Sea.

HMCS Shawinigan and HMCS Summerside deployed Monday morning as part of Operation Reassurance, Canada’s contribution to NATO since Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.

The pair of Kingston-class maritime coastal defense ships will be part of what the navy calls “mine countermeasures in Europe”.

“The two ships are equipped with mine hunting and mine clearing capabilities,” said Rear Admiral Josee Kurtz.

Canada first began sending Kingston-class ships last year after initially offering frigates at the start of the mission, Kurtz says.

She says the operation is unrelated to Russia’s war in Ukraine, but there are benefits to working with allied nations to have a presence in the area now.

“Even if NATO is not directly involved in what is happening in Ukraine with Russia, it is very important that we position the alliance so that it is ready to respond if asked,” says Kurtz.

This will be HMCS Summerside’s second time as part of Operation Reassurance and Shawinigan’s first. Neither ship has previously been used for mine countermeasures abroad.

Both vessels have approximately 45 crew members on board and are expected to be at sea for four months.

Several families were at the waterfront to say goodbye to their loved ones, some were experiencing the experience for the first time.

“I didn’t think it was like dropping your son off at camp,” says Gabbie Ponikvar-Wentges, whose son is first deploying as a naval warfare officer, “because you know you’re going to have him in a few years. to see.” months. But it was very emotional.”

Ponikvar-Wentges and her husband traveled from Burlington, Ontario, to say goodbye to their son.

“He’s excited and loves what he’s doing,” says Tony Ponikvar. “We are happy for him.”