Mr. Chair, committee members, thank you for the invitation to discuss the role of the Canadian Armed Forces in the whole-of-government assisted return of Canadian citizens from China following the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus.
I am Major-General Trevor Cadieu. As the director of the strategic joint staff, my role is to maintain the situational awareness of senior military leaders, to draft directives for the Canadian Armed Forces and to work with other government partners. I'm looking forward to addressing any questions on the operational details of the Canadian Armed Forces' role in the overall effort.
I'm joined today, as you've heard from the chair, by Major-General Andrew Downes, our surgeon general. As the adviser to the Minister of National Defence and the chief of defence staff on all matters related to health, he will naturally be prepared to address any medical-related questions.
I'll speak now about our role in the assisted departure.
On January 31, the Canadian Armed Forces received a request for assistance from Global Affairs Canada, the lead department for the first phase of the assisted return from Wuhan, China to Canadian-Forces Base Trenton.
The military contribution to this part of the operation consists of a medical team comprising six Canadian Forces health services medical professionals. They're tasked to conduct health screening of returnees as part of the aircraft onboarding procedures in Wuhan and to monitor the health of returnees during the return flight to Canada. They will also conduct a final health screening on board the aircraft in order to inform Public Health Agency of Canada officials as to which passengers, if any, require priority attention upon arrival in Canada. Our medical team deployed to this effort will comprise two emergency medicine- and flight medicine-trained physicians, as well as four aeromedical evacuation-qualified nursing officers.
In response to a separate request for assistance received on February 1 from the Minister of Health, the Canadian Armed Forces will also support the reception, staging and onward movement of returnees once they arrive in Trenton. Specifically, as part of the second phase, the arrival and screening phase, Canada's military will support the Canada Border Services Agency and the Public Health Agency of Canada by providing access to the runway and apron areas in Trenton, along with associated aircraft services and aircraft parking.
Additionally, a variety of base infrastructure will be made available to our federal and provincial partners for customs and health screening. Also, as directed by lead departments, the on-board military medical team will assist with disembarkation efforts to include identifying priorities for disembarkation according to the medical needs.
Finally, as part of the third phase, post-screening activities, we will continue to provide logistical and staging support. In essence, the Canadian Armed Forces will provide a logistical framework within which the Public Health Agency of Canada will coordinate public health measures, emergency social services and security services with the Province of Ontario for the period of the quarantine.
Support provided by the Canadian Armed Forces during this phase includes ground transportation for returnees and supporting personnel; accommodations for returnees; infrastructure for use by federal and provincial authorities for the conduct of their tasks related to the quarantine period; food services; and general duties as required.
Of note, Mr. Chair, is that Canadian Armed Forces members, including military police, will not conduct direct security and enforcement activities relating to the quarantine of the returnees. This is being led by the Public Health Agency of Canada. However, Canadian Armed Forces elements in Trenton will coordinate as necessary to enable civilian police and security agencies engaged by the Government of Canada to conduct those tasks.
In closing, I would say that, looking forward, the Canadian Armed Forces will continue to provide support as directed by the government, while delivering on an array of other domestic and expeditionary operations.
Ultimately, our support to Canadians in need will always be our most important mission. We take that role very seriously.
Mr. Chair, ladies and gentlemen, Canada's surgeon general and I look forward to taking your questions.