Canadian ships sail to aid hurricane victims

Prime Minister Paul Martin and David Wilkins, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, were dockside in Halifax Tuesday as four ships loaded with emergency supplies prepared to head for the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Three navy ships and a Canadian Coast Guard vessel are expected to reach Louisiana in about five days. They are being joined by several Sea King helicopters.

One thousand Canadian Forces and coast guard personnel are aboard. They're are bringing provisions including clean water, massive tents, cots, body bags, assault boats, lumber, pollution cleanup equipment, bug spray, and even diapers and baby wipes.

Navy officials were not sure how long the mission will last. Planes will continue to replenish supplies once the ships are in waters off Louisiana.

Canadian navy divers have also been dispatched from Halifax and Esquimalt, B.C. They will help their U.S. counterparts clear navigational hazards such as loose barges and inspect New Orleans' damaged levees.
HMCS Athabaskan sits in port in Halifax, Monday. (CP Photo/Halifax Daily News/Jeff Harper))

Although the current emphasis is on basic supplies, Canada could consider sending more sophisticated equipment, such as mobile hospitals.

The aid is coming from stockpiles set aside as part of the Canadian military's own disaster preparedness plans.

Some of the Canadian crew said they were anxious about the assignment, since the mayor of New Orleans has predicted as many as 10,000 people may have died in the hurricane and flooding.

Source

~Thanato

*EDIT* Oops my bad, put it in the wrong section, can a Mod put it in the world events section please, and delete this edit

Yeah, it's in the wrong section...that's okay. I've done that numerous times in my years here. No biggie.

But as for the post itself, why should Canada bother now?

It's like one of your buddies getting jumped by a bunch of people, then walking away from it....and all of a sudden you decide to lend a helping hand when he's well out of danger.

They're sending ships from Halifax NOW? Turn 'em back. Save Canada some money.

I'm sorry to seem so disrespectful, but this is simply ridiculous.

If Canada were going to help us, they could have helped 2 weeks ago. Telling me that they've got "ships on the way" when it's well after the fact is completely insulting.

It makes me even more angry than I already am about this mess.

Tell your ships to stay home.

Canada offered help over a week ago, we can not just send ships down with out the U.S athority saying its ok. It took your goverment a week to give the ok for help to come in. Oh maybe it was because you President was on vacation your right let's call our help back. holy F**K. typical american

Had to add we had many planes waiting to enter your country with ton's of aid we were not asked and there for can not enter your country with military personal till the ok is given,by your goverment, your goverment hesitated way to long.

the day after we sent down a crew and they saved over 300 people with the canadian flag over one of you fire stations, they just got back home today, with more help then you know of,and more to come we are not to late you are

MedicTJ
Even Cuba has a team of doctors ready to go assist, I don't think its likely they will get the green light. I think it was a cnn source over 32 nations are offering help to us but bureaucracy in our government is holding the aid back, probably only half the help has been approved so far.

Thank you, Canada! You guys rock!

I saw that on the news they are willing to send ton's of medical supplies but can't why?

Let bygones be bygones. shake hands already

I for one don't have much my self but hell I can help take care of a few survivors, canada would be more the willing. Let the planes come further north. We can house many.

I think 2 tons of supplies to be exact, but I agree the embargo is very silly.

i agree. should just call them back now

No that was me being angry we need to send all we can, and we deffinitly need to send some more, america is hurt and we can help,let's do it

Now i really didn't know if i should have started another thread, but the Mexican navy is also sending aid.

MEXICO CITY – A Mexican Navy ship loaded with personnel and equipment was scheduled to depart Monday for New Orleans carrying aid for areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.

The ship Papaloapan will carry food, amphibious vehicles and helicopters for search-and-rescue efforts, as well as a medical team, said Foreign Relations Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez.

"What the Papaloapan will do is transport (eight) all-terrain vehicles, and we are also sending seven amphibious vehicles for transporting and rescuing people, an ambulance and two helicopters," Derbez told local media.

The ship was expected to arrive in New Orleans sometime late Wednesday.

Derbez said Mexico has started setting up consular offices in trailers around the disaster zone to help some of the estimated 140,000 Mexicans who live in the region, 10,000 of them in New Orleans.

Also Monday, the Foreign Relations Department said in a press statement that three Mexican citizens had died during Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.

On Sunday, the department had reported four Mexicans dead. However, on Monday it said one of them had survived and was listed in serious condition at a hospital in Marrero, Louisiana.

The four were together in the city of Harvey, Louisiana, where the three people apparently died as the result of inhaling carbon monoxide fumes. Local media reported the exhaust fumes from a portable generator unit.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/...us-katrina.html

It took me some time to find a website that wasn't in Spanish, so this data is a little old. Just by a day or 2.

Well I'm very grateful of all the nations that are helping us, even our so call enemy the Cuban's.

As a Canadian cuban's are pretty cool went ther for a holiday and they love the State's REALLY.

I have read that afganistan has even given money, that's cool.

^Cuba offered to send 1600 doctors and the US refused I just heard on the radio during the news bulletin.
Anyone have any information on that?

Now THIS is something that is completely plausible.

Just strap some relief supplies to the millions that cross the border every single day.

That'll help.

And as for the Canadians in this thread saying that it's the U.S. government that was keeping your people from helping.....fine.

I'm all for bashing my own government over their lack of competency.

All I'm saying is that to act like you're our saving grace and that your "help" is on the way is insulting. Completely insulting.

Like you have to save us? You'll make it all better?

Gimme a friggin break.

And I'm sorry for sounding so rude. We're all frustrated. The President that I supported screwed things up. People are dying.

And now for someone to say, "Help is on the way from Nova Scotia" is almost laughable.

It took nearly a week for the ships that Bush sent all too late to get to the gulf coast from Norfolk, VA. So how long will it take for the ships to be sent from Halifax?

2 weeks.

By that time, what good can they do? Everything else is already in place.

It's a wasted trip, IMO.

WoW check out your attitude, what an ungrateful,little s**t you are, any help from anyone no matter what will help. It's people like you that are not helping!!!! if you want to keep up with your self ritious attitude go for it,like it's going to help.

I'v read your posts in the past Medic and I'm surprised really

Bush said it could take up to 2 years to rebuild if at all, we are comming to help re-build,give aid,doctors,medicine,engineers,nurses,food, dipares, formula,antibiotics, can you say you don't nee these things living in Indiana??????

I had to add medic knows nothing living in Indiana, so far away and judgementel

An ungrateful little s**t I am?

I offered to give up my vacation time to go and help for free, only to be denied by my municipality.

LOL! I know nothing? I've taken a gang member to an emergency room in Gary, IN...and while I went back to the ambulance to clean up the blood....saw the enemy gang storm the hospital ER to finish the guy off.

Indiana ain't just all cornbread and beans, dude.

Now what the hell does illegal immigrants have to do with Mexico sending aid to the United States?

Now i know that illegal immigration is a problem in the United States, but none of that matters right now. The simple fact is that Mexico is sending help to the United States. And i am sure if that Hurricane would have kept on going west and hit Mexico the United States would be sending help.

And you would have bet your last peso you wouldn't have seen me talking about how American companies have pushed the Mexican wages to a 20 year low, or how American farmers have outproduced Mexican farmers making over 1.5 million farms to go under. No sir, I would have nodded in appreciation and do what ever i could to help my falling countrymen.

Thats great 1000 military(canadian) left today, and over five hundred from calgary alone left today,taking time off work so your comments about aid to new orleans is unjustified, oh by the way why didn't you go?

Had to add if a gang banger shoots another and you save him, what have you done for youe community except save a gangbanger that shoots innocents your a hero

Well let's see....I offered to go for free....and my municipality denied it because they said they needed me here in the county. If I had gone, I would have lost my job.

As I have a wife and 3 children, I opted not to lose my job.

What would you have done?

Ok this is turning into a flame war enough, medic pls stop help is help. if the time ever comes you need it just say no. Stop this crap your country needs help bottom line take anyway you can get it. peace man really.

Look up the Hippocratic Oath.

Then get back to me.

I agree fully, mexico is awsome. It's not easy living next to the states, but we have to do our best and tollerate the ignorance of the few. giving help to some is a sighn of weakness and some don't like that. But we will give it anyway no matter what.

You still haven't responded.

Have you looked up the Hippocratic Oath? Do you see what I am bound to by ethics and profession?

If you haven't looked it up, I'll tell you.....

I treat anyone that is in pain as if they are in pain. It doesn't matter where they come from. It doesn't matter what religion they follow or what ideals they cling to.

So for you to say that I'm less of a person for treating a "gangbanger" for his wounds is far worse than ANYTHING I've said in this thread.

I was doing my job.

And I'll do it again.

Yes the Hippocratic oath. Help all that you can and do no harm as a physichian ie doctor. I see how you saving a gangbanger that has no regards for killing 3 children in front of a store sharing a coke is ok, But damn look at what you said in your last posts, you want to turn away aid that could save hundreds if not thousands what is going on in your head son. The bigger picture aid equals lives saved don't you get that, and ya the gang banger with the nine mill I'll save him for last.

Turn away aid that could save hundreds if not thousands??????

Okay man. Let's make a bet.

If your ships save "hundreds if not thousands" by the time you get here in late September, then I'll eat a whole plate of crow.

The city has been evacuated. There aren't many left. The ones that are left will be long gone by the time you get there.

So what, exactly, are your "ships" going to help with?

And if you want to blame the U.S. government for laying back and not letting you come here 'til now...then I'm right with you. I totally agree it's ridiculous.

What I'm TRYING to say is that it is worthless for you to send a fleet of ships to the gulf when there are already scores of American ships there to handle the work.

The President sent our ships from Norfolk one week too late and now they're all gonna be sitting there with their thumbs up their asses because all of the people have already been evacuated to other places on land.

So tell me. Seriously. What are the Canadian ships gonna do?

Catch sharks?

Ok our ships will be there in 4 days, I don't think all the sick and injured will be all better by then with your bandaid sulution. our planes are now on the way after 7 days your goverment said ok.
If you want to do this all on your own then go for it protest to bush and tell him no help required we can take care of this ourselves.

Oh and a little side note here your petroleum producing facilities are offline, for a long time if this attidude of yours starts to piss off Canadians we might just have to start charging you for the oil we are now giving you for free.

Don't be such an ass. I'm done with you.

Oh now you resort to name calling. That's cool. Have at it.

if you take offence to ass well so be it, you have absalutly no compasion for your fellow americans that you call canadian aid a waste well what other name do i use?????????

If you're gonna play that card, then I'll play this one....

It took an AMERICAN border guard to discover the would-be bomber that was going to lay waste to LAX airport in Los Angeles.

He got completely by the Canadian officials...and was in Canada completely legally.

I will take the high road and not comment anyfurther on this for I would like people to read it. Medic again I am surprised at your comments.

oh damn you made me do this, your goverment failed, and now you do this. SOURCE pls

Oh and Canada protects Canada we can't look out for all those that want to lay a hurt on in the states come on get real, do we have to protect you now. Oh and I loved your comments about the Mexicans earlier as well.

Source, Wikipedia....read down the page

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_millennium_attack_plots

medic if you want to go there lets open a new thread k, I will burn you.

Canada protects Canada?

Where is NORAD located, and what, specifically, is its purpose?

You're going to burn me?

Canada protects Canada notice we did not get envolved in your little protect north america missle deffence bull. You need that we don't. why do you look for enimies?

I'm not looking for enemies. You say that Canada protects Canada. That is not entirely true.

NORAD is set up between both countries so that they can monitor air defense.

I was hopeing you would not take that liturale. lets open a new thread and start a discussion on terrorists if you like?

yes of course we do, our two countries are the closest of any two in the world, we just said no to the missle deffence project and are you trying to get this thread closed for some reason?

ok lets bet I say our troops save thousands building homes, fixing generatorts, bringing in medicince,and doctors yes I will bet on the thousands to be saved. and you whats your bet.

The people on your ships are going to build homes and bring in generators, medicine, and doctors?

Where did you get this information?

You're missing my entire point here and the reason I'm upset. First of all, I'm upset with the U.S. government in handling this tragedy. I have put myself on the line this past week in saying that and still stick to it.

Things were NOT handled correctly. There was no plan in place, nor any contingency plan. Everything got screwed up and people have died.

If you could talk to a New Orleans resident who has been displaced by this tragedy and has been lucky enough to survive...and today tell them..."Canada is on the way to help....in a week".....what do you think their reaction would be?

I don't believe in conspiracies. But I DO believe in governments trying to make themselves look good in front of the rest of the world.

Again....listen to me carefully..........

There are already ships in place to take care of things. They were sent FAR TOO LATE by President Bush, but at least they are in place now. What, exactly, are Canadian ships going to do when the ships that were already sent to the gulf are now sitting there simply for effect?

They're not housing anyone or hospitalizing anyone (although a hospital ship was sent).

They're not helping with the restructuring and removal of people from the city. The National Guard has that job.

So what are Canadian ships going to do when the AMERICAN ships that are already in that region aren't doing anything but sitting there for the President to say.."Well, we sent ships to the area...and they are there."

If American ships and personnel besides the Coast Guard (which has been there since day 1 and are the true heroes in this whole ordeal) aren't doing anything but wading in the waters....then please tell me....what the hell are Canadian ships going to do?

Seriously. Tell me.

U.S. to Accept Russian Aid for Katrina Aftermath


Altogether, more than 20 countries, from allies Germany and Japan to prickly Venezuela and poor Honduras, have offered to help the United States cope with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Reuters news agency reported this week.


It's not only Canada, so I don't think they are trying to make themselves look good.