The Hub of the North will be the hub of Canadian Armed Forces Operation Vector to support 23 remote and isolated First Nations in their COVID-19 vaccination campaigns over the next three months, the federal government announced at a March 24 press conference.
Up to 200 military personnel including medical experts, logistics personnel and general duty members will begin arriving in Thompson March 25 preparing to start vaccinations as early as March 29.
Among the first communities that the military is planning to deploy to include Norway House, Gods Lake Narrows, Berens River, Little Grand Rapids, O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation, Northlands Denesuline First Nation, Manto Sipi Cree Nation and Sayisi Dene First Nation.
“The concept is to use Thompson as the hub as we deploy out to … the various northern communities,” said Lt.-Gen. Wayne Eyre, commander of the Canadian Army. “We’re conducting this operation in two phases. The first phase is what we’re calling preliminary moves, reconnaissance, the staging that is ongoing as we speak. The second phase is the actual execution of the vaccine campaign that is scheduled to start not before March 29, next Monday, and could go as long until the end of June.”
In addition to the military personnel, the operation will be supported by a C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, up to two Chinook and two Twin Otter helicopters and other military vehicles.
“The exact time for each of the communities will depend on … the size of the communities the throughputs and the underlying factors that are necessary,” said Eyre.
Duties performed by Canadian Armed Forces members will include co-ordinating the delivery of supplies, administering vaccines to patients and transporting community members to and from clinics where required, said Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller.
“This operation will accelerate the pace of the immunization in the province," Miller said. "Manitoba First Nations leaders are making plans to vaccinate all adults in all 63 First Nations communities with the goal of reaching 100,00 people in 100 days.”
A planning team was deployed to Thompson from March 19-22 to complete reconnaissance of the Thompson Airport and assess the conditions for Canadian Armed Forces support, said Defence Minister Harjit Saijan.
“Canadian Forces members will start arriving in Thompson tomorrow to set up a staging hub and will be ready to begin operations on March 29,” said Saijan.
The armed forces have assisted more than 50 northern and Indigenous communities to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic already and have provided assistance at Rod McGillivary Memorial Care Home in the Pas, as well in Shamattawa First Nation, Pauingassi First Nation, Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Red Sucker Lake, Garden Hill First Nation and Cross Lake as well as, most recently, Mathias Colomb Cree Nation in Manitoba. This assistance has included contributions from the Canadian Rangers, who serve in more than 200 communities across Canada.
Miller and Saijan said the armed forces are prepared to provide vaccination assistance to other communities as well if necessary.
“This CAF support was requested as the First Nations leadership in Manitoba identified the possible devastating effects of a third wave during spring break-up and fire season, when fly-in First Nations could be particularly isolated and vulnerable to the effects of the pandemic,” said Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Gand Chief Arlen Dumas in a press release. “Vaccination clinics will be set up by the CAF in each of the identified First Nations as appropriate and with all due care for cultural protocols and considerations, and will be part of the overall PCRT (Pandemic Co-ordination Response Team) strategy for 100,000 vaccinations in 100 days for First Nations citizens in Manitoba. I want to personally thank the members of the CAF for taking time away from their families and for stepping up to assist AMC member First Nations as part of Operation Vector.”
