Canadian soldiers heading to Poland to assist Ukrainian refugees

Up to 150 Canadian Armed Forces members will soon be deploying to help manage the Ukrainian refugee resettlement efforts in Poland, including helping thousands of Ukrainians come to Canada.

Defence Minister Anita Anand made the announcement on Thursday at the Canadian Forces’ military base in Trenton, Ont. The base has served as a departure point for “much of the military aid that Canada has been providing to Ukraine to fight and win this war,” Anand said.

The troops, approximately 100 of them going over “immediately,” are largely from Edmonton and Kingston. The military members will be helping with the co-ordination and front-line care of Ukrainian refugees in the neighbouring country, Anand said.

The defence minister said that this deployment is part of a three-pronged plan that will be carried out “over the next few months.”

First, Canadian Armed Forces members will be deployed to reception centres across Poland that are operated by the Polish Territorial Defence Force,“to assist with the immediate care and processing.” Anand said this will be the “largest component” of the deployment. Personnel will be providing general aid, spiritual services, and basic medical care, with the help of Ukrainian-speaking military personnel.

Second, Canada will deploy “a number” of members to help a Polish-led humanitarian task force that will include other federal government representatives and officials from allied countries “to synchronize efforts from more than 100 multinational humanitarian agencies to ensure that Ukrainians fleeing the war receive the best support possible,” Anand said.

Third, military personnel will help Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada “by acting as a liaison” with the Polish military, as Canada works to resettle thousands of Ukrainians to Canada.

This mission is being carried out as part of Canada’s recently-extended contribution to Operation Reassurance, a NATO deterrence mission in Central and Eastern Europe.

“In the face of unspeakable acts of violence… Canadians and our Canadian Armed Forces will continue to step up,” said the defence minister.

The military had previously evacuated 260 personnel from Ukraine to Poland, just prior to Russia launching its invasion in late February. While there, the military trainers provided some humanitarian assistance, but had since been brought back to Canada temporarily, The Canadian Press has reported.

Canada has been prioritizing immigration applications from Ukrainians since early 2022 and, in response to millions of Ukrainians fleeing the county to escape the ongoing Russian attacks, has opened up two new immigration streams for Ukrainians looking to come to this country.

Ukrainians looking to come to Canada temporarily will be able to stay for three years, through the 'Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel’ program. Ukrainians and their immediate family members of any nationality are being offered temporary residency and the ability to work or study while in Canada.

For those looking to stay permanently in Canada, the government is setting up a separate family reunification pathway with help from Ukrainian-Canadian community groups.

“We’ll continue to work with our partners, including provinces and territories, settlement organizations, and the Ukrainian-Canadian community to provide support and temporary safe haven for those who wish to come to Canada,” said Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser in a statement. 

Responding to the news, Conservative MP and immigration critic Jasraj Singh Hallan said in a statement that Canada shouldn’t have waited so long into the war in Ukraine to bring additional resources to eastern Europe.

"We welcome the news that Canada is sending 150 troops to Poland to support those caught up in this massive diaspora," said NDP defence critic Lindsay Mathyssen in a statement. Though, she said there is "much more" the federal government should do to help Ukrainians. 

Both the Conservatives and New Democrats continue to call for Canada to allow visa-free travel for those seeking refuge.

Since the war began, Canada has sent lethal and non-lethal aid to Ukraine— including military equipment—and has vowed more is coming. As part of $8 billion in new national defence spending promised in the 2022 federal budget, the Canadian government has earmarked an additional $500 million to be used for military aid to Ukraine.

Anand seemed to suggest Thursday that Canada's further financial aid to Ukraine will include restocking Canada’s inventory, which was drawn upon to send supplies to Ukraine, paying for direct procurements from military suppliers--which is how Canada sent Ukraine drone cameras--and looking at potentially pooling funding with allies to "efficiently" send aid.

“We are actively engaged with a number of suppliers regarding additional procurements and I will have more information to say about those discussions soon,” Anand said.

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