The Canadian government has received quotes of at least $1,000 per person for sea transport alone from Lebanon to Cyprus, but it is unclear who would pay the costs
Canada is preparing for what could be the biggest civilian evacuation in its history, one that is raising questions about the country’s obligations to its overseas passport-holders before it has even begun.
The Canadian Armed Forces has now stationed dozens of people in the eastern Mediterranean, including at a command and control centre in Cyprus, according to a person with knowledge of the planning operation. The Globe and Mail is not identifying the person because they are not authorized to speak publicly.Canada and other countries have spent 15 years attending exercises in Cyprus to prepare for a new crisis in the eastern Mediterranean.
Similar plans are underway today, with the Canadian government examining options for passenger vessels, including cruise ships, that could be chartered for evacuation. Capacity on those ships could be shared with other western countries, the person said, emphasizing that Canada’s preparations are precautionary, and no decision has been taken to begin an evacuation.
That evacuation cost Canada $94-million. It’s not clear who would pay if an evacuation becomes necessary this year. Canada’s engagement in an evacuation is extensive, Mr. de Lorimier said. In 2006, members of Canada’s elite special forces, Joint Task Force 2, “were driving around the country trying to find Canadians,” he said.
Canadians living in Lebanon have already begun to argue the opposite — not merely that Canada should pay for an evacuation, but that it should give financial assistance people once they arrive.
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