Mishall RehmanTwelve years of uncertainty surrounding the future home of Joint Task Force 2, came to its conclusion last week when the government pulled the plug on the plan to move the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) special operations force to CFB Trenton.
The decision was announced on Monday by Minister of Defence Harjit Sajjan in response to a question by The Canadian Press.
“Our government will always support the members of the Canadian Armed Forces and their families. Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2) is a special forces unit that Canadians can be extremely proud of. They provide important high-level capabilities that protect Canadians from threats at home and abroad. In the changing global security environment, we remain focused on making sure that the Canadian Special Forces are equipped to deal with these challenges. I want to assure those who are serving with JTF2 and their families that we have no plans to move this facility out of Ottawa,” said the Minister of Defence in a statement to the CMF Magazine.
The plan to move the JTF 2 to CFB Trenton from Ottawa was designed by Stephen Harper’s Conservative government. The plan was announced in 2007 after the government purchased a considerable amount of land, estimated to be worth millions, near CFB Trenton.
Though no official reason has been given by the minister about the decision, it is speculated the government wishes to keep the special forces unit, mainly responsible for counter-terror missions, near Ottawa.
