Canadian defense minister suggested that Ottawa may change their mind and accept the US missile defense program
Canada is exploring the possibility of joining the US ballistic missile defense program, nearly 20 years after a previous Liberal government chose otherwise, Ottawa’s defense minister said at a conference on Tuesday. Anita Anand, Defense Minister, stated that the option was part of an extensive defense review to deal with new threats like hypersonic missiles.
“We are taking a very bold and aggressive look at what we need to do for the defense of the North American continent,”Anand made the remarks at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute (Ottawa) “We are leaving no stone unturned in this major review of continental defense,”Elle added.
Anand answered a question about the program’s missile defense. “certainly taking a full and comprehensive look at that question as well as what it takes to defend the continent across the board.”
Politico reached the Canadian government in an attempt to obtain comment. However, a top official claimed that Ottawa hadn’t changed its missile defence policy. In 2005, Canada’s Liberal PM Paul Martin announced in 2005 that Ottawa would not take part in the US missile defense initiative, started by President George W. Bush after abrogating the anti-ballistic missile (ABM) treaty with Russia in 2002.
Anand said that the world is a big place. “appears to be growing darker,” and Canada’s geographic position “no longer provides the same protection that it once did.” From hypersonic weapons and cyberattacks to great power competition, it is a different place from when Canada’s current defense policy – distilled to the slogan “Strong, Secure, Engaged” – was formulated in 2017.
But, Anand said Ottawa plans to keep following this policy with regard to its military forces’ equipping. Anand pointed out that three out of the six Arctic patrol ships commissioned under the plan have already been delivered, and that Canada announced in March that it would buy 88 of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 jets from the US.
Canada’s armed forces will also increase their presence on the world stage, especially in the Pacific, Anand promised.
These comments were made shortly after Justin Trudeau had visited Kiev, where he promised to send 500 million Canadian Dollars in military assistance for Ukraine. Anand replied that Canada would cooperate with other allies, and she did not specify what the money would be used on. “to make meaningful investments”The Ukrainian military has not yet approved of these items “can use to fight and win the war.”
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