Canadian warship thwarts suspected pirates

[ConcernedCanuk]

Source: globeandmail.com / Canadian Press

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The Canadian Press

April 5, 2009 at 2:39 PM EDT

TORONTO — Warding off suspected pirates and coming to the aid of a boatload of fleeing Somali refugees is all in a day's work for the crew of HMCS Winnipeg.

In the past 24 hours the Canadian warship has sent its Sea King helicopter after several skiffs that were shadowing a commercial vessel, using a large red “Stop” sign to tell the speedboat crews to get lost.

Commander Craig Baines says the suspected pirates did just that when they saw the sign, written in Somali, hanging out to chopper's door – along with the aircraft's machine-gun.

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With a crew of approximately 240 officers and non-commissioned members, the warship has been at sea since early February, and won't return to Victoria until August.



Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090405.wcanadapirate0405/BNStory/International/home

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Just imagine

how quick this piracy would end with a USA carrier around there.

HMCS Winnipeg.

[KT2000]

1. Good for them

this months Vanity Fair had an article about a pirated yacht. The Canadian Navy came to their rescue and the were really ready to take care of business. The article downplayed their efforts bwhich was a shame because they were there specifically because they were prepared for such an event.
Yeah Canada!
As I recall, they were the first to get to New Orleans after Katrina as well.

[tomreedtoon]

2. I sense a Gordon Lightfoot-style ballad in the making.

And hell, I'd probably sing along too. We don't have any independent, Captain Kirk-style commanders on American ships. Nice to know the Canadians do.

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. I remember the song methinks

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OH

by the way

"Captain Kirk" - William Shatner

He's a Canadian!

go figure

:dunce:

[Vidar]

4. Good going, Canada!

[Idealism]

5. Canada has a navy?!

(kidding)...

[BadGimp]

6. This is a STUNNING development!

Canada has a Warship!

[Bigmack]

7. Yeah... Canada has a Navy...

kinda small. Yeah...Canada has a warship.... kinda small. Ha ha ha. Wimpy little Canada.

Canada spends a little under 1% of GDP on defense. The US spends over 4% of a much larger GDP on defense.... not counting Iraq, Afghanistan, and "black budget" items.

Then again, Canadians have health care.

It all depends where a country wants to put its money.