Canada’s military operations command has embarked on a study about how the country’s NATO deployment in Latvia can be realistically sustained into the future, and one of options could involve more permanent basing, says a senior commander.
Lt.-Gen. Steve Boivin, the commander of the Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC), said they are just beginning the analysis and recommendations have not been made to the chief of the defence staff, let alone the federal government.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced last August an extension of the Canadian mission in Latvia to 2029.
Canada already has a near-permanent rotational presence in Latvia, with the roughly 2,200 soldiers serving six- to nine-month tours depending on their unit.
“We are approaching it from a military point of view — what makes sense based on the commitment that we’ve made,” said Boivin, who noted that two of the factors driving the review include the shortage of troops throughout the military and the challenges of rushing reinforcements into place in an emergency.
Military considers permanent bases in Latvia as part of Canada’s NATO commitment | CBC News