Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03HALIFAX367
2003-10-31 11:19:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Halifax
Cable title:  

PEARSON PEACEKEEPING CENTRE CAPABILITIES AND IRAQ

Tags:  MOPS KPKO PGOV PREL ASEC IZ CA 
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UNCLAS HALIFAX 000367 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MOPS KPKO PGOV PREL ASEC IZ CA
SUBJECT: PEARSON PEACEKEEPING CENTRE CAPABILITIES AND IRAQ
RECONSTRUCTION

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- PROTECT ACCORDINGLY

UNCLAS HALIFAX 000367

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MOPS KPKO PGOV PREL ASEC IZ CA
SUBJECT: PEARSON PEACEKEEPING CENTRE CAPABILITIES AND IRAQ
RECONSTRUCTION

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- PROTECT ACCORDINGLY


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Pearson Peacekeeping Centre in
Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, has extensive expertise in training
military, civilian and police personnel for peace operations in
a variety of environments, but has as yet received from the
Canadian government no taskings related to Iraq. Ottawa could
be encouraged t make use of the PPC's capabilities to provide
training in support of Iraq reconstruction. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) Consul General, PA Minister-Counselor and Montreal PAO
recently visited the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre in Cornwallis,
NS, to meet the PPC's staff, look at its facilities and evaluate
possibilities for future programs together. Ken Eyre, the Chief
Operating Officer, briefed us on the courses that the PPC
offers. These include focused training courses at the basic and
advanced levels for military, civilian and police personnel
involved in peace operations. The PPC also holds training in
humanitarian response in peace operations, human rights and
civil-military cooperation and can custom design courses to the
specifications of users. The PPC's training is usually not
country or mission-specific, but is aimed at providing a
foundation for those involved in various aspects of peace
operations by distilling lessons learned from many missions.


3. (U) The PPC has expanded from it's original training
facility and now offers the majority of its courses in places
other than Cornwallis. Much of the training is in Canada, but
an increasing number of courses are held in other countries,
including the Middle East. President Sandra Dunsmore plans to
open an Ottawa office soon to raise the PPC's profile with the
Canadian government. In addition to its core courses, the PPC
can provide in-depth exercises for units going to peace
operations, capacity building for other training and education
institutions and an as well support missions in the field with
on-site training. German forces bound for Afghanistan
participated in a command post exercise at the PPC which
according to the faculty they found very useful. A small core
faculty is augmented by subject matter experts from various
fields and countries. Most instruction is in English and
French, but a growing number of courses are offered in Spanish
as well.


4. (SBU) COMMENT: The PPC has impressive capabilities, and
has certainly come a long way from it's fairly humble origins
nearly a decade ago. The expertise and facilities could be
called upon by the Canadian government for training -- either in
Cornwallis or in the region -- as part of its contribution to
Iraq reconstruction. We share the PPC staff's puzzlement at why
this has not happened to date. END COMMENT.