Canadian sailors help secure the West Wing

Media Advisory 2007 09 24

A team of 140 personnel from Joint Task Force (Pacific) and over 50 military police from across Canada provided security for the NATO Military Committee Conference that concluded in Victoria, B.C., September 7th to 9th. Conference security measures, managed out of a Command Centre located in the west wing of the Grand Pacific Hotel, were subtle, effective, and unobtrusive. Outside the downtown hotel, officers from the Victoria Police Department and RCMP stood vigilant in case of civil disobedience.

The conference saw the Chiefs of Defence from the 26 NATO member nations complete two days of discussions and a seminar focused on planning, preparing and conducting NATO operations.

"This meeting was an excellent venue for the NATO Chiefs of Defence and NATO's two Strategic Commanders to discuss issues face-to-face, and to decide on how to take our work and change agenda forward," said Gen. Ray Henault, Chairman of NATO's Military Committee, and NATO's top officer.

During the two days in British Columbia's capital city, delegates found time to visit a few key Victoria attractions in their rare free moments, visiting the Royal British Columbia Museum and strolling the Inner Harbour. But for what they missed, they will be sure to learn more about Victoria through their spouses, who visited top tourist destinations such as Butchart Gardens and the Fairmont Empress Hotel. After the conference concluded, delegates went to sea for a day in HMC Ships Ottawa and Vancouver for a first-hand look at Canada's Navy and its sailors, before flying out of Victoria Sept 9th.

"I am proud to say that the delegates were very impressed with Canada", said Rear Admiral Tyrone Pile, Commander of Joint Task Force (Pacific). "Everyone providing liaison, support and security did an exceptional job. Bravo Zulu."