Defence minister tours HMCS Winnipeg

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ON BOARD HMCS WINNIPEG in the GULF OF ADEN — Canada is actively seeking an agreement with Kenya to prosecute suspected Somali pirates arrested by Canadian warships, Defense Minister Peter MacKay said Thursday.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/05/2009 (5995 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ON BOARD HMCS WINNIPEG in the GULF OF ADEN — Canada is actively seeking an agreement with Kenya to prosecute suspected Somali pirates arrested by Canadian warships, Defense Minister Peter MacKay said Thursday.

Following a tour of HMCS Winnipeg, Canada’s contribution to a NATO anti-piracy task force in the Gulf of Aden, MacKay said negotiations are underway between a number of interested nations and Kenya to accept pirates arrested in the act of attacking commercial vessels.

“We’re working through diplomatic channels with countries here in the region, most notably Kenya, as other countries have been able to do to establish a means or a process to prosecutor those who are involved in piracy here,” MacKay told reporters.

WO Carole Morissette
Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Winnipeg crosses the Indian Ocean to join Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) vessels to conduct counter-piracy operations of the coast of Somalia.  HMCS Winnipeg is a Halifax-class patrol frigate commanded by Commander Craig Baines with a crew of approximately 240, including a CH-124 Sea King helicopter detachment.  Canada's participation in Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1), conducted under Operation SEXTANT, represents a continuing commitment to international peace and security. HMCS Winnipeg is the 5th Canadian Ship to deploy since 2006 to join the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1), which represents a multi-national maritime force capable of conducting missions across a broad spectrum of operations anywhere around the world.  Photo: Warrant Officer Carole Morissette, Canadian Forces Combat Camera
WO Carole Morissette Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Winnipeg crosses the Indian Ocean to join Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) vessels to conduct counter-piracy operations of the coast of Somalia. HMCS Winnipeg is a Halifax-class patrol frigate commanded by Commander Craig Baines with a crew of approximately 240, including a CH-124 Sea King helicopter detachment. Canada's participation in Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1), conducted under Operation SEXTANT, represents a continuing commitment to international peace and security. HMCS Winnipeg is the 5th Canadian Ship to deploy since 2006 to join the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1), which represents a multi-national maritime force capable of conducting missions across a broad spectrum of operations anywhere around the world. Photo: Warrant Officer Carole Morissette, Canadian Forces Combat Camera

“There are precedents in place that allow for countries like Canada to strike an agreement, an accord or memorandum that would allow for the arrest and then turning over of suspected pirates and evidence necessary to prosecute."

The Canadian frigate has stopped numerous attacks on commercial vessels off the coast of Somalia. However, the federal government has been criticized for its decision to release pirate suspects rather than bringing them back to Canada for prosecution.

The Criminal Code of Canada does allow Canada to prosecute anyone suspected of piracy but Ottawa has declined to follow in the steps of the United States and The Netherlands, nations that are currently trying suspected Somali pirates.

MacKay noted that working with Kenya, a country that has a long history of trying pirates makes sense from a practical perspective. Its close proximity to the Gulf of Aden allows for a speedy transport of suspects and ensures better continuity of evidence, he added.

The international community will have to provide some support to Kenya to handle an influx of pirate suspects, MacKay said. He would not detail what kind of support is needed.

Despite the fact Ottawa is pursuing an agreement with Kenya to prosecute pirate, it is unclear what role Canada will play in this region. The Winnipeg finishes its mission in early June and MacKay said NATO has not formally requested Canadian participation in the anti-piracy task force in the immediate future.

Canada is prepared, however, to continue patrolling the region if asked, he added.

MacKay was treated to a full demonstration of HMCS Winnipeg’s anti-pirate capabilities. The simulation involved the pursuit of a pirate skiff which was in fact a launch from the Winnipeg. The small craft was surrounded by the Sea King helicopter launched from the aft flight deck of the Winnipeg and ordered to stop.

While this mock drama was unfolding on the port side of the ship, MacKay and his entourage got an up-close-and-personal look at the operation of a 50-calibre machine gun, one of the Winnipeg’s array of weaponry. About two dozen thundering rounds were fired into the blue waters of the gulf.

A boarding party then demonstrated its techniques for searching a suspected pirate vessel, using the bridge of the Winnipeg as its target.

A boarding party member grilled MacKay, who ably stepped in to play the captain of the suspected pirate vessel. Faced with a superior force, both in terms of training and weaponry, MacKay agreed to fully cooperate with the boarding party.

Dan Lett

Dan Lett
Columnist

Dan Lett is a columnist for the Free Press, providing opinion and commentary on politics in Winnipeg and beyond. Born and raised in Toronto, Dan joined the Free Press in 1986.  Read more about Dan.

Dan’s columns are built on facts and reactions, but offer his personal views through arguments and analysis. The Free Press’ editing team reviews Dan’s columns before they are posted online or published in print — part of the our tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.

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