Pacific Navy News

Lindsay Groves, Lookout Newspaper.   Defence Team members and community allies gathered at Clover Point for Red Dress Day in solidarity with MMIWG2S+ awareness. The event emphasized healing through movement, reflection, and community connection under the theme “Movement is Medicine.” - At Clover Point on May 5, members and allies of the Indigenous Community and the Defence Team gathered for the event, “Movement is Medicine,” in recognition of Red Dress Day — the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people (MMIWG2S+). This event, coordinated by Caitlin Hancock of Fleet Maintenance Facility (FMF), aimed to raise awareness of MMIWG2S+, support the effort to end gendered and racialized violence against Indigenous peoples, and encourage healing, reflection, and community support. Participants were invited to wear red, walk, run, or wheel in solidarity. Sergeant (Sgt) Nate (Nathan) Spence, a member of the Sandy Bay First Nation in Manitoba (Man.) and the Military Co-Chair of the Pacific region's Defence Indigenous Advisory Group (DIAG), opened the event with a land acknowledgement spoken in his Anishinaabemowin language. He then shared his own deep connection to Red Dress Day. “For me, this movement is not abstract,” he said. “It is not symbolic. It is personal.” His aunt, Charlene Ward-Lake, was murdered on Nov 1, 2007 — “a day forever engraved in my mind, my heart, and my soul,” Sgt Spence shared. He continued to share how the violence of that day did not end with her passing. It flowed through her loved ones, leaving Ward-Lake’s daughters without their mother and her grandchildren without their grandmother. Those left behind are now without Ward-Lake’s “laughter, her warmth, and the joy she brought,” Sgt Spence said. Instead, her family is left “with an absence that cannot be filled.” Sgt Spence continued, saying that within...

Archana Cini, Lookout Newspaper.   The RCN introduced a new small-arms capability aboard Orca-class training vessels at CFB Esquimalt. Sailors conducted a live-fire shoot aboard COUGAR off Constance Bank on April 22. The initiative strengthens operational readiness, weapons training, and at-sea safety procedures. - A sharp crack echoed across the waters off Constance Bank on April 22 as members of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) conducted a live-fire shoot aboard the Orca-class Patrol Craft Training (PCT) vessel Cougar.   This shoot forms part of a broader effort to introduce small-arms operational capabilities aboard the RCN’s Orca-class vessels, which are operated by members of Patrol Craft Training Unit (PCTU). While Orca-class vessels are primarily utilized as training platforms, the introduction of embarked weapons reflect both the changing realities of the global modern maritime environment and the RCN’s renewed focus on operational readiness at every level of training.  “The introduction of a small-arms capability on the Orca-class reflects an evolving security environment,” said Lieutenant(Navy) (Lt(Navy)) Jeremy Morissette. “There is growing recognition that even training platforms must be prepared to operate safely and credibly in a range of situations.”  This new capability includes the C8 and C22 rifles, and C6 machine gun. For PCTU, the capability represents more than simply adding weapons to a platform — it also reinforces the principle of ‘we train as we fight,’ bridging the gap between a training environment and an operational environment.   [caption id="attachment_336261" align="aligncenter" width="600"] S1 Nathan Anderson reiterates C8 procedures prior to the small arms shoot conducted aboard PCT vessel COUGAR on April 22. Photo: S1 Jordan Schilstra, MARPAC Imaging[/caption] “The Orca-class vessels are arguably the RCN vessels that see the most sea days year-round, and where many sailors will have their first sailing experience,” said Lt(Navy) Morissette. “Having weapons onboard allows sailors from all ranks to gain exposure to weapons procedures at sea while also making the vessels...

Lindsay Groves, Lookout Newspaper.   Red Truck Beer Company partnered with CFMWS to create custom mess-branded lagers at CFB Esquimalt. The specially branded beers quickly became top sellers at participating messes. The initiative highlights how shared traditions and small community touches help strengthen morale and connection within the CAF. - Red Truck Beer Company is helping strengthen community at some Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt messes through a partnership with Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS). The Officers’ Messes — Wardroom and Gunroom, along with the Junior Ranks Mess – Pacific Fleet Club, now each have their own branded lager — and the response has quickly grown beyond what many expected.  As part of the initiative, Red Truck completed a special tap takeover by designing and installing custom tap handles inspired by the crest and colours of each participating mess. The beer on tap is Red Truck’s Road Trip Classic Lager, described by the company as a traditional European-style lager made with all Canadian malts and Saaz hops. Since its launch, the re-brand idea has become something more meaningful for members of these spaces.  “We didn’t know how people would react to a beer change,” shared Kyle Murphy, Red Truck’s Vancouver Island Territory Manager. “Each group has their favourite kind of beer — it can backfire at times. We’re really happy to see how well it has been received.”  The response has been positive. In fact, the mess-branded lagers have become the top-selling beer at their respective messes, reflecting not only popularity in taste, but also the sense of pride and connection tied to having something uniquely their own.  “The price is right, and it represents the mess,” said Adolfo Gil, Junior Ranks – Pacific Fleet Club Mess Manager. “It’s been a huge success. For the first couple months, we couldn’t keep it in stock!”  This partnership also reflects Red...

Archana Cini, Lookout Newspaper.   The Work Point Garden Club has relocated to a new site and is rebuilding plots for the 2026 growing season. Members say the club supports wellness, food security, connection, and outdoor activity within the Defence community. Volunteers, PSP staff, and RP Ops helped establish the new site with fencing, irrigation, planter boxes, and shared gardening spaces. - Tucked between community buildings and the rhythm of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt operations, the Work Point Garden Club is quietly growing something beyond vegetables and flowers.   The club has now entered a new chapter after relocating to a new garden site, where members are once again digging in, rebuilding plots, and cultivating community together. For those involved, the club has become much more than a hobby space. It is a place of connection, wellness, food security, and calm amidst the many demands of Defence life.   Open to military members, Defence Team employees, dependents, and Non-Public Funds (NPF) staff, the Work Point Garden Club offers allotment plots, shared gardening spaces, tools, and water access for members of all experience levels. Whether growing herbs for the kitchen, tending flowers, or learning how to plant their first seeds, members are welcomed into a collaborative and community-oriented environment.   For Commander (Cdr) Paula McHale, President of the Work Point Garden Club, gardening has long been both a personal passion and a meaningful outlet.   [caption id="attachment_336240" align="alignleft" width="600"] Trays of healthy seedlings being shared amongst members of the Work Point Garden Club. Photo: Sarah Linde[/caption] “Living in Esquimalt offers such an incredible opportunity to garden all year long,” said Cdr McHale. “I love to grow kale, garlic, potatoes, onions, zinnias, zucchini, herbs… It is so beneficial to spend time outdoors, and many people don’t have their own yards to garden in.”  The club’s previous site, located near the Work Point housing area, had become a cherished oasis...