Ottawa is sending chartered aircraft to Cairo and other Egyptian cities to fly out Canadians who have been unable to leave the North African country.
Officials said the chartered flights could begin arriving at Egyptian airports on Monday, CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife reported on Sunday afternoon.
Fife said the government is aiming for shorter flights bound for Europe due to flight rules that limit the duration that flight crews can work.
At a news conference early Sunday evening, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon confirmed that the chartered flights will touch down in London, Paris or Frankfurt -- European cities where Canada has "more widespread" consular services to assist travellers.
Cannon said Canadians who take these flights will be expected to bear the cost and will be asked to make their onward travel arrangements themselves, once they land outside of Egypt.
To arrange transport on one of the government-arranged flights, Cannon said Canadians in Egypt must contact the embassy in Cairo at (+20) 2-2791-8700, or call the Foreign Affairs emergency response centre in Ottawa collect at 613-996-8885.
More than 6,000 Canadians are believed to be in Egypt, which is in the midst of massive street protests against autocratic President Hosni Mubarak.
When asked why Ottawa has not called on Mubarak to step down, Cannon said it was "an internal matter" that is "incumbent on the Egyptians themselves" to address.
Earlier on Sunday, Government House Leader John Baird told CTV News Channel that the government is "tremendously concerned with the violence on the streets" of major Egyptian cities like Cairo.
"We just don't know how unstable it will be in the days and weeks ahead, so it's obviously a huge concern for Canadians with friends and family there."
Baird noted that the federal government has received no reports of any Canadians being injured or killed amid the unrest, and said the embassy in Cairo and The Department of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa will "provide assistance for anyone who wants to leave."
Ottawa has joined a growing list of governments that are taking steps to evacuate their citizens from Egypt as the popular uprising there continues.
The U.S. Embassy in Cairo said Sunday it was preparing to have Americans flown out of the country starting Monday. The governments of India, Turkey, Israel and several European countries have made similar announcements.
In Ottawa, Foreign Affairs also asked Canadians in Egypt to consider leaving the country on their own if they can, by asking family or friends elsewhere to assist them in making travel arrangements if need be.
Local travel services may be disrupted by the unrest in the streets, or by the continuing communication problems.
Wendy Clakson, of Cambridge, Ont., said she has been trying to arrange a flight out of Cairo for her brother, Gordon Heslop and his wife, Rebecca, who is from Ingersoll, Ont.
Clarkson managed to arrange tickets to Rome for the couple, who are on their honeymoon. But that flight has not taken off.
"As far as we know, since Saturday they've been in the Cairo international airport," she told News Channel. "We've booked them flights home and they've been cancelled. We're just feeling very frustrated -- they have no way to get out right now."
Increasing the urgency of its travel advisory Sunday, the department said that travellers visiting Egypt should "carefully evaluate" their security, stay away from the mass demonstrations and keep a supply of basic food on hand.
Foreign Affairs is warning of potential dangers due to "demonstrations and protests, civil unrest, high levels of criminal activity and violence throughout the country, and the threat of terrorist attacks."
Ottawa would like those who choose to travel to Egypt in spite of the warning to register with the federal government, which will contact them in the event of an emergency.
Canadians who want to contact Foreign Affairs regarding consular matters can reach the department at 1-800-267-6788 or 613-944-6788.
With files from The Canadian Press
