US embassy cable - 05OTTAWA2638

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 OTTAWA 002638 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT ALSO FOR R, WHA/CAN AND WHA/EPSC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, ECON, AEMR, ASEC, CASC, MARR, AMGT, US, CA 
SUBJECT: TFUS01 - CANADA:  SURGE OF ASSISTANCE OFFERS IN 
WAKE OF KATRINA AND NEW DYNAMIC ON TRADE DISPUTE 
 
REF:  STATE 162270 
 
1. (SBU) Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath have captured 
Canadian headlines and triggered heart-felt offers of 
assistance (list from paragraph 5).  The Mission has 
received an outpouring of sympathy and offers of assistance 
from governments at all levels as well as from individual 
officials and private citizens.  We recommend a high-level 
statement, not just for Canada, to the effect that "In time 
of great need, in any corner of the globe, America has 
always been there to help.  And now, when the United States 
is in an hour of great need, it is comforting to know that 
the world is there to help us.  And we appreciate it." 
 
2.  (SBU) Per reftel, we have been accepting Canadian offers 
of assistance in principle.  We encourage U.S. agencies to 
take the Canadians up on their offers and to take advantage 
of the materials and expertise they can provide. 
 
3.  (SBU) Prime Minister Martin's decision to forgo 
discussing lumber in a long-awaited and heavily publicized 
call with the President, in favor of a straightforward 
expression of sympathy, captured the feelings of a nation 
whose media turned on a dime from complaining about U.S. 
bullying on trade to criticizing the PM for not moving fast 
enough to offer assistance.  The events of the last weeks 
have shown again that underlying Canadian ambivalence about 
U.S. policies is a deep strain of affinity and solidarity, 
as well as an extensive tradition and network of mutual 
assistance at the local level.  The President of Canada's 
International Development Agency told the Ambassador this 
morning that the GOC has had two meetings at the Deputy 
Minister level to coordinate ways in which Canada can assist 
us.  They stand by to help. 
 
4. (U) Following is a summary of some of the offers received 
directly by the Mission as well as reports of assistance 
offered directly to Louisiana. 
 
5. (SBU) Offers from The Government of Canada 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
Prime Minister:  On August 31, the Prime Minister's chief of 
staff called the Ambassador twice with emphatic offers of 
unspecified assistance. 
 
Deputy Prime Minister:  Deputy Prime Minister Ann McLellan 
called DHS Secretary Chertoff and offered support; Public 
Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEP-C) has 
contacted HHS and DHS directly to offer supplies from their 
National Emergency Stockpile System, including blankets, 
beds, mobile hospitals and mini-clinics. 
 
Late on Thursday, McLellan's Senior Policy Advisor conveyed 
the fact that McLellan's office has been receiving calls 
from companies who wish to donate and transport products 
(such as energizer batteries) to the hurricane-ravaged 
areas.  McLellan's office sends these requests to PSEPC's 
Emergency Operations Centre, which is, then in contact with 
DHS Emergency Operations Center. 
 
Department of National Defence:  The Chief of Defense Staff, 
General Hillier, offered the assistance of the Canadian 
Forces at a luncheon with the Ambassador.  Canadian Forces 
have been put on standby to help the United States deal with 
the aftermath of hurricane Katrina.  The GOC will be sending 
a three-ship task force as early as this weekend but 
probably no later than Tuesday of next week to Louisiana to 
join up with the US Navy Task Group that is already en route 
to the Hurricane devastated area. They are preparing two 
Fast Frigates and their Destroyer to get underway as soon as 
they receive materials and are manned and ready. (We 
understand that the HMCS Athabascan, HMCS Ville de Quebec 
and probably HMCS Toronto will be the three ships that flow 
South to join the Truman.) The ships will carry helicopters 
to be able to conduct operations ashore.  Other on-board 
resources include: 
 
- generators; 
- water purification and desalination equipment; 
- small boats for use in inland and coastal flooded areas; 
- fleet diving unit with RPVs capable of operating in 
contaminated water to clear obstacles or conduct searches; 
- command and control package; 
- medical teams; and 
- helicopter support. 
 
Canada's Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), which was 
deployed in the Asian tsunami earlier this year, was put on 
a one-hour notice in Kingston, Ontario.  The 150-person DART 
has medical, water purification, and reconstruction 
capabilities. 
We also understand that the two Canadian Diving Units (from 
Halifax, NS and Esquimalt, BC)  will probably fly down to 
Pensacola and link up with the U.S. Navy diving . 
 
6. (U) Offers from provinces and local government 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
Vancouver, British Columbia deployed a FEMA-certified 
emergency rescue team Wednesday in response to a request by 
the governor of Louisiana.  The team includes: 
 
- 32 search-and-rescue specialists; 
- Two doctors and 12 paramedics; 
- Four search dogs; 
- Two structural engineers; and 
- Eight hazardous materials technicians. 
 
The team is in Kenner, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, 
attached to the Louisiana State Troopers and is also getting 
help from the National Guard but has "backed off because of 
looting and gunfire" and "will not be performing any search 
and rescue operations for at least the next eight to 12 
hours." 
 
Vancouver is also setting up donation centers for hurricane 
relief. 
 
Manitoba Premier Doer announced that Manitoba has contacted 
the GOC and offered to be part of any Canadian effort to 
provide support in the hurricane recovery efforts.  As well, 
Manitoba Hydro (the electric company) offered to send staff 
to the affected area to help restore power. Over 100 
Manitoba Hydro officials and workers are available to travel 
to the southern U.S. if asked. 
 
Ontario Premier McGuinty has offered to send electricity 
crews, an emergency medical assistance team, and has 
extended a blanket offer of whatever assistance is needed. 
Commissioner of Emergency Management Julian Fantino in the 
office of the Minister of Community Safety Monte Kwinter is 
coordinating all efforts from the province of Ontario under 
strict guidelines to ensure orderly and effective deployment 
of resources. 
 
Fantino has encourage the public to send cash donations to 
the Canadian Red Cross, which is interfacing directly with 
the American Red Cross.  Donations are also being collected 
at all publicly owned businesses, such as the LCBO liquor 
stores.  At the request of the American Red Cross, Canadian 
Red Cross experts in disaster management and shelter 
provision services will be deployed within the next few days 
from Ontario to relieve their American Red Cross 
counterparts.  Fantino said Ontario's FEMA-certified Heavy 
Urban Search and Rescue Team is ready to deploy if 
requested. 
 
Toronto Mayor Miller has also offered to the CG to provide 
any assistance from the city through Fantino's office.  We 
have heard that several officials are working to organize 
fund-raising events to benefit the Hurricane victims (more 
information to follow.) 
 
The Mayor of Ottawa called the Ambassador to offer 
electrical personnel and equipment, paramedics, police, 
firefighters, and generators. 
 
Quebec Premier Charest has offered an array of assistance, 
especially hydroelectric workers.  HydroQuebec President 
Thierry Vandal spoke with CG and reiterated that his company 
stands ready to assist in any way necessary, especially with 
electricity-related expertise and equipment. 
 
Premier Charest told the Ambassador that Quebec's public 
security/disaster assistance center has been in contact with 
its counterparts in New England (with whom the GOQ has a 
formal mutual assistance agreement) to convey GOQ offer to 
assist. 
 
Nova Scotia has sent letters to the Governors of four states 
in the hurricane's path offering assistance.  Premier John 
Hamm told the Ambassador that families in Nova Scotia, 
particularly with an Acadian connection, would open their 
doors to people from the affected region that need to leave. 
Premier Williams of Newfoundland-Labrador has written to the 
President offering support and assistance. 
 
We expect similar offers of assistance shortly from New 
Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. 
 
7.  (U) Offers from the private sector 
--------------------------------------- 
 
Air Canada's CEO called the Ambassador offering free 
transport for people and supplies to Houston, Atlanta, and 
Dallas. They could also make their cargo facilities in those 
cities available. 
 
The Canadian pharmaceutical association, Rx&D, told us they 
are contacting the Prime Minister to offer assistance in 
conjunction with PhRMA, its fellow trade association in the 
United States. 
 
The Canadian Red Cross has 40 volunteers from Nova Scotia 
set to leave for hard-hit areas of United States as soon as 
all the paperwork and medical forms are completed 
The President of the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce told us 
his organization has offered the Manitoba Government any 
support that might be useful to the relief effort.  In 
addition to any direct contributions they can make, many of 
the members are making monetary donations to the Red Cross. 
 
The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), the 
industry's main lobby group, said that Canadian oil 
companies are considering pushing back autumn maintenance at 
refineries to help alleviate U.S. gasoline shortages caused 
by Hurricane Katrina.  CAPP was in discussions with the 
governments of Canada, Alberta and the United States on 
Thursday to determine ways to lessen the energy crisis that 
has emerged following the hurricane's rampage. 
 
Canfor Corporation, Canada's largest softwood producer, and 
Tolko Industries Ltd. both said they are assessing what they 
can contribute to help out in the reconstruction efforts. 
Both companies said they have received indications from 
their trade adversaries in the U.S. Coalition for Fair 
Lumber Imports that donations will cross the border duty- 
free. 
 
8.  (SBU) This cable provides just a snapshot of Canadian 
offers of assistance.  We anticipate that more will be 
forthcoming in the days and weeks ahead, and there are 
undoubtedly relief/assistance efforts underway that have not 
yet come to our attention.  The challenge will be to turn 
these offers of assistance into reality, to integrate them 
into our own relief efforts and to find appropriate ways to 
express gratitude to Canada and other countries for their 
generosity. 
 
WILKINS