US embassy cable - 04OTTAWA3474

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TFX001: CANADA RESPONDS QUICKLY TO TSUNAMIS

Identifier: 04OTTAWA3474
Wikileaks: View 04OTTAWA3474 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Ottawa
Created: 2004-12-29 21:54:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: EAID AEMR CASC CA Tsunami FAC
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.


 
UNCLAS OTTAWA 003474 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP AND WHA/CAN 
STATE FOR TSUNAMI TASKFORCE 1 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, AEMR, CASC, CA, Tsunami, FAC 
SUBJECT: TFX001: CANADA RESPONDS QUICKLY TO TSUNAMIS 
 
1.  Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC) tells us that as of December 
29, three Canadians are confirmed dead, and approximately 60 
are still missing.  Of the three dead, two died in Thailand 
and one in Sri Lanka.  Forty-eight of the missing Canadians 
were in Thailand, with the majority of the rest missing from 
Sri Lanka.  Although volume is down today, FAC's emergency 
hotline is still busy, and of the original roughly 2000 
welfare/whereabouts inquiries received so far, 600 have been 
resolved.  FAC has called in 25 officers to respond to 
callers. 
 
Initial response 
---------------- 
 
2.  On December 26, Prime Minister Paul Martin issued a 
statement of condolence and pledged Canada's support.  The 
GOC promised an initial C$1 million (about US$800,000) in 
humanitarian assistance and followed up the next day with a 
further pledge of C$3 million (US$2.4 million). 
 
3.  The GOC has sent a CC-150 Polaris plane to Colombo 
(expected to land tomorrow) with essential emergency 
materials such as blankets, water tablets, and generators but 
does not yet have plans to mobilize the Canadian Forces 
Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), stating that no 
government has yet made a formal request for the mobile field 
hospital team.  The Canadian International Development Agency 
(CIDA) will assess the situation to determine what additional 
assistance will be required. 
 
Tragedy strikes close to home for many in Canada 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
4.  Canada's Diaspora from the affected region numbers in the 
hundreds of thousands.  FAC is directing private citizens who 
wish to donate money to contact the International Red Cross, 
OXFAM, and CARE Canada.  Private donations from Canadian 
residents and citizens have reached over C$3 million (US$2.4 
million) and are growing quickly.  NGOs are still being 
flooded with contributions.  Families with relatives in 
affected areas have been directed to contact the Department 
of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa at 1-800-387-3124, the hotline 
mentioned above. 
 
 
 
Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa 
 
POWELL 

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