There is co-operation by Canada with T&T on intelligence information, says Canadian High Commissioner in T&T, Gerard Latulippe, who says Canada supports the Government's quest for better security for citizens.
He spoke on Wednesday after inspecting the Canadian Navy vessel, HMCS Shawinigan, which docked at the Port-of-Spain Port that day.
The vessel will be in T&T until tomorrow before departing for Grenada to participate in Operation Trade Winds military exercise, which is held annually in the region involving T&T and other Caribbean corps, the US and Canadian forces.
Commander of the vessel, Lt Commander John Forbes, said the 55-metre Shawinigan, based at Halifax, Canada, is a Kingston-class coastal defence vessel crewed by 45.
It is geared for coastal defence and patrol and provides support to other agencies. Features include small arms and heavy machine gun weaponry.
On recent T&T crime waves, Latulippe said he had noted efforts made by Government on the matter and, like the US Ambassador, also felt the expansion of the SSA and intelligence forces was a step forward.
On recent bombing threats, he said there was intelligence co-operation between Canada and T&T and that co-operation would also be pursued regionally.
Among areas Canada was assisting in improving, Latulippe said, was with funding criminal justice reform.
He also praised T&T's leadership in organising a conference later this year of regional Defence Ministers, in which, he added, Canada would be providing assistance, including pre-conference matters.
"We are pleased with the strong relations with T&T. Co-operation in defence between both territories is a long-standing arrangement since the 1970s and is a very important relationship for us. We pay tribute to T&T's defence forces which are very skillful and competent," he added.
On Wednesday, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon also detailed enhanced co-operation on intelligence information T&T is receiving from the US and maritime security help from Venezuela.