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Operation Nanook 2008 was a joint exercise of Canada's Maritime Command and the Canadian Coast Guard, held in August 2008. Canada conducted similar joint exercises, also named "Operation Nanook", in 2007 and 2009.
The exercise was held from August 11 to August 25, 2008. Two Canadian navy ships and two airforce planes, a CC-138 Twin Otter and a CP-140 Aurora, took part in the exercises in the Canada's Arctic. The frigate HMCS Toronto, the minesweeper HMCS Shawinigan and the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker CCGC Pierre Radisson travelled along the Hudson Strait. The Operation extended to Davis Strait, and Frobisher Bay during the annual Operation.
There have been 18 such humanitarian operations since 2002. As more Arctic ice melts, the ships sail through uncharted waters. Emergency response times were tested for such potential disasters as oil spills, or rescue operations such as responding to cruise ship emergencies.
General Walter J. Natynczyk, Canada's chief of Defence staff, the Honourable Peter MacKay, Defence Minister as well as Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and Steven Fletcher, Member of Parliament for Charleswood–St. James–Assiniboia and Parliamentary Secretary for Health, flew to Iqaluit, Nunavut to officially launch the exercise on August 19, 2008 and observe the process.