The Canadian Armed Forces is changing its stance on the crisis in Lebanon and increasing its forces in the region to give the government more flexibility — including the ability to move quickly if an evacuation of Canadian citizens is ordered, Global News has learned.
Canada’s plan has been ready for months and some assets have been stored in advance. But on Wednesday night, troops received a warning order to prepare to leave Canada within 48 hours.
The sources said that the timing is not related to the situation on the ground as much as it is related to preparing for what will be a very complex operation if it continues.
Global News has also learned that Canada and Australia have jointly chartered a cruise ship for evacuated Canadians.
Nearly 700 people were killed in Lebanon this week — including two Canadians — as Israel dramatically escalates its strikes, saying it is targeting Hezbollah’s military capabilities. The United States, Canada and other allies called on both sides to accept a 21-day ceasefire, a proposal that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to reject Thursday.
The federal government has been urging Canadians for months to leave Lebanon via commercial flights as the situation deteriorates. Foreign Minister Mélanie Jolie told reporters on Wednesday that commercial flights remain the safest option for leaving Lebanon and that no evacuation orders have been issued at this time.
The sources said the warnings to leave now are based on concerns about how chaotic the evacuation process could become if the situation worsens. The sources said that sending forces to the area now will give them the ability to move quickly if an evacuation order is issued.
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Jolie said on Friday that about 45,000 Canadian citizens are currently in Lebanon. Global Affairs Canada said Wednesday that 20,773 Canadians in Lebanon are registered with the agency.
The government said “thousands” of Lebanese Canadians have family members and loved ones currently in Lebanon.
The sources explained that Canada does not have permanent military bases in the region as the American and British forces do, which makes it necessary for Canada to send forces and assets to their locations early to ensure that they are not subjected to pressure while trying to enter Lebanon.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Defense Minister Bill Blair reiterated his government’s call for Canadians to exit Lebanon now via commercial flights, but added that Canada would help if necessary.
“We have a responsibility to Canadians around the world, and if Canadians find themselves in harm’s way, the Canadian government will be there to support them,” he said.
“We will be prepared to respond to any eventuality.”
Jolie said on Wednesday that her department has been working with regional partners for months to prepare for a potential evacuation and prepare some assets in advance, and has strengthened its diplomatic and consular presence in Lebanon to help Canadians obtain the documents required to leave the country.
The ministry told Global News that over the weekend it saw an increase in the number of inquiries at the Emergency Monitoring and Response Centre, with most requests relating to departure options, travel documents and visas.
Jolie added that the situation remains volatile and there are concerns about possible airport closures, which would complicate evacuation efforts as well as residual damage from the 2020 explosion at the Beirut Port, Lebanon’s main sea entry point, as an example of the challenges involved. .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday did not answer reporters’ questions about when the government might order the evacuation of Canadians from Lebanon, but he said the government would continue to assist with departures.
He said during a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Montreal: “It was time to leave Lebanon weeks ago, but if you are still there, you must leave if you are Canadian.”
He also urged Israel and Hezbollah to agree to a 21-day ceasefire proposal, which Trudeau said was “prepared by all parties” — suggesting, as the White House confirmed earlier Thursday, that Israel had agreed to the deal before Officially introduced. .
“There are a lot of lives at stake — not just in Lebanon, not just in the region, but actually more broadly around the world,” Trudeau said.
—With additional files from Saba Aziz
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