THE TROOP EXCHANGE AGREEMENT…Massive ‘Homeland Defense’ Joint Exercise Is Underway

 

THE TROOP EXCHANGE AGREEMENT

I was curious about how the Lt-General that signed the Troop Exchange Agreement with the U.S., on Canada’s behalf, fits in with NORTHCOM and

NORAD, the ‘Massive ‘Homeland Defense’ Joint Exercise’.

The Troop Exchange Agreement was signed on Feb 14th, 2008 under the name “Civil Assistance Plan”. The early information stated explicitly that the American troops can be called in by the Canadian government in the event of “civil emergency”. Today I see where either the language has been sanitized in response to the outrage, or it is being more clearly defined. From experience I would say that the spin doctors, the “communications specialists” have been at work. In some places it is now defined explicitly that the Civil Assistance Plan is for emergencies arising out of natural disasters like earthquakes. No mention of civil emergency arising out of man-made disasters like the tar sands development.

Anyway – – Lieutenant-General Charlie Bouchard is the Canadian representative on NORAD. He is not the one who signed the Troop Exchange Agreement.

From information circulated in our network in February or March, 2008:

“… Canada and the U.S. have signed an agreement that paves the way for the militaries from either nation to send troops across each other’s borders during an emergency, but some are questioning why the Harper government has kept silent on the deal.

Neither the Canadian government nor the Canadian Forces announced the new agreement, which was signed Feb. 14 in Texas.

The U.S. military’s Northern Command, however, publicized the agreement with a statement outlining how its top officer, Gen. Gene Renuart, and Canadian Lt.-Gen. Marc Dumais, head of Canada Command, signed the plan, which allows the military from one nation to support the armed forces of the other nation during a civil emergency.”

Oct 1: “the First Brigade of the Third Infantry Division, three to four thousand soldiers, has been deployed in the United States as of October 1.”

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News from Canada……..

Defending Our HOMELANDS..(Please note this is plural)

United States Northern Command 

Defending Our HOMELANDS

February 14, 2008

SAN ANTONIO, Texas —

U.S. Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, and Canadian Air Force Lt.-Gen. Marc Dumais, commander of Canada Command, have signed a Civil Assistance Plan that allows the military from one nation to support the armed forces of the other nation during a civil emergency.

“This document is a unique, bilateral military plan to align our respective national military plans to respond quickly to the other nation’s requests for military support of civil authorities,” Renuart said. “Unity of effort during bilateral support for civil support operations such as floods, forest fires, hurricanes, earthquakes and effects of a terrorist attack, in order to save lives, prevent human suffering and mitigate damage to property, is of the highest importance, and we need to be able to have forces that are flexible and adaptive to support rapid decision-making in a collaborative environment.”

“The signing of this plan is an important symbol of the already strong working relationship between Canada Command and U.S. Northern Command,” Dumais said.

 “Our commands were created by our respective governments to respond to the defense and security challenges of the twenty-first century, and we both realize that these and other challenges are best met through cooperation between friends.”

The plan recognizes the role of each nation’s lead federal agency for emergency preparedness, which in the United States is the Department of Homeland Security and in Canada is Public Safety Canada. The plan facilitates the military-to-military support of civil authorities once government authorities have agreed on an appropriate response.

U.S. Northern Command was established on Oct. 1, 2002, to anticipate and conduct homeland defense and civil support operations within the assigned area of responsibility to defend, protect, and secure the United States and its interests.

Similarly, Canada Command was established on Feb. 1, 2006, to focus on domestic operations and to offer a single point of contact for all domestic and continental defense and security partners.The two domestic commands established strong bilateral ties well before the signing of the Civil Assistance Plan. The two commanders and their staffs meet regularly, collaborate on contingency planning and participate in related annual exercises 

http://www.northcom.mil/News/2008/021408.html