CFB Halifax commander says 'we surrender' to Nova Scotia winter

It's official: Nova Scotia's winter is too much, even for Canada's fighting men and women.

After battling a winter of blizzards and ice-caked roads, this latest storm has the commander of CFB Halifaxadmitting that Mother Nature has the upper hand.

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"We surrender, we're definitelyready to surrender at CFB Halifax," Capt. Angus Topsheejoked Wednesday. "We're done with winter. If it could go away now, that would be fantastic.

It's all tongue in cheek, of course, but this winter been unusually tough.Today is the third time in recent monthsthe base has been forced to close because of weather.

"It's a whole new experience," Topshee says. "Previously, in my time as base commander, we'd closedone day in the past two and a half years. It's been atough winter. We're done."

While the base itself is shut, Topshee says a number of essential service personnel are on duty. They include firefighters, and those who work in the regional operation centre and the joint rescue coordination centre.

Topshee says if the municipality or province calls on the Canadian Forces to help with snow removal they will do everything they can to assist. That said, there's been no request for help.

"We're a force of last resort," he says.