(Ottawa) National Defense Minister Bill Blair’s office said sending a Canadian ship to Cuba, where it docked alongside part of the Russian fleet, was a “careful” decision. planned to increase its presence in the region.
Spokesman Daniel Minden issued a statement saying the visit to Havana port “was carefully and meticulously planned,” and that the minister authorized it on the advice of the Royal Canadian Navy and Joint Operations Command from Canada.
Conservatives criticized the decision on social media after Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly told CBC in a recent interview that she was unaware that one of the Canadian patrol boats was docked in Havana at the same time as Russian ships.
The visit to Havana is the first by the Canadian navy since 2016 and comes at a time when Canada has sent billions of dollars in aid and military equipment to Ukraine to help it fight the Russian invasion.
Mr. Minden said Canada made “the wise choice” to increase its naval presence in the region, adding that one of its warships and a patrol aircraft were monitoring the Russian flotilla.
HMCS Margaret Brooke’s visit is scheduled to last June 14-17.
