CTV.ca News Staff
The federal government is sending $5 million in emergency humanitarian aid to Libya, the prime minister announced Wednesday.
The money will go toward medical supplies and emergency shelters, Prime Minister Stephen Harper told the House of Commons.
Harper did not specify how the aid will be delivered. Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, who is facing international condemnation for a violent crackdown on protesters demanding an end to his 42-year rule, has said anyone who accepts international aid is guilty of "high treason" for opening "Libya to colonialism."
Earlier Wednesday, Canadian warship HMCS Charlottetown set sail from Halifax Harbour for the Libyan coast, a deployment that could last up to six months.
The ship carried 240 crew, along with a Sea King helicopter and air force personnel.
CTV's Atlantic Bureau Chief Todd Battis said the ship is primarily on a humanitarian mission, but the crew was told to be ready for anything,
"It could transport humanitarian relief supplies, it could also be ordered to help evacuate Canadians from Libya...it could also take on a more aggressive role if it's decided by NATO and the Canadian government as necessary to do that," Battis said, reporting from Halifax Harbour.
While the trip to Libya should take about a week, the crew was told the journey could take closer to two weeks if weather is bad. The ship could remain in the region for up to six months, Battis said.
On Wednesday morning Defence Minister Peter MacKay said there are about 100 Canadians still trying to leave the chaotic nation.
Speaking to CTV's Canada AM, MacKay said he has received estimates that there are about 250 Canadians still in Libya.
"Just under 100 of those have indicated their desire to leave and so we'll continue to work tirelessly to get them out," MacKay said.
He added that Canadian officials "have been working around the clock to locate those individuals."
Canada has hit some hurdles in its efforts to evacuate Canadians from the violence-torn nation.
On Tuesday, a Canadian Forces C-130J Hercules aircraft was denied landing rights by Libyan authorities, which stated that there was simply no room for the plane to land.
Last week, at least two charter flights landed in Tripoli but left empty, because officials had trouble locating Canadians at the airport waiting to depart. The planes were then forced to leave after running out their appointed time.
And a C-17 military transport was grounded in Rome last week for days, after it was unable to secure landing rights.
Canada now has two C-17 planes and one C-130 stationed in Malta, making it much easier to deploy rescue operations to Libya, MacKay said.
He said officials are trying to co-ordinate departure times from Malta with the arrival of Canadians at the Tripoli airport.
Canadian consular officials are also working with Canada's allies to co-ordinate evacuation efforts, MacKay said.
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