Members of the.Canadian Armed Forces are headed overseas to assist with the resettlement of Ukrainian refugees in Poland..“For months, Poland has stepped up and helped welcome its neighbours during this humanitarian crisis. The Canadian Armed Forces are proud to contribute to the efforts of its ally and close friend,” said.Minister of Defence Anita Anand..During an announcement made Thursday at.Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Anand said 100 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel would be deployed to Poland immediately, with a total of 150 to be deployed overall..Anand said that the majority of the CAF personnel will come from Edmonton and Kingston, and will be deployed from Trenton in the coming days. The deployment, part of Operation REASSURANCE, will last for an initial period of two months..“Our Canadian Armed Forces will continue to step up and offer a safe haven and to welcome with open arms the people of Ukraine,” she said..According to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 4,7 million Ukrainians have fled the country since Russia invaded, with 2.6 million landing in Poland. The population of the Polish city of Krakow, which is home to 800,000 people, has grown by more than 150,000 Ukrainian refugees in recent weeks..Anand called the situation at the Polish border a “growing crisis.” She said the CAF members will be deployed to.reception centers across Poland to primarily provide “general support, spiritual services, and limited medical care enabled by Ukrainian-speaking CAF personnel.”.CAF personnel will also assist the efforts of more than 100 multinational humanitarian agencies in ensuring that Ukrainians “receive the best support possible,” and they will liaison with the Polish Armed Forces and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to allow “thousands more Ukrainians” to resettle in Canada..Canada has prioritized immigration applications from Ukraine, as well as launched a specialized program that lets Ukrainians and their families work or study in Canada for three years..To date, Canada has spent $145 million on humanitarian assistance, and $35 million on development assistance for Ukraine..Matthew Horwood is the Parliamentary Bureau Chief of the Western Standard.mhorwood@westernstandard.news.Twitter.com/@Matt_HorwoodWS
