Defence

Thursday July 12, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday July 12, 2018

Trump suggests NATO allies could double defence spending beyond 2014 pledge

U.S. President Donald Trump barrelled into a NATO summit Wednesday with claims that a natural gas pipeline deal has left Germany “totally controlled” and “captive to Russia” as he lobbed fresh complaints about allies’ “delinquent” defence spending during the opening of what was expected to be a fraught two-day meeting.

February 22, 2017

Trump also suggested that NATO allies commit to spending four per cent of their gross domestic product on defence — double the current goal of two per cent by 2024.

The president, in a testy exchange with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg that kicked off his visit, took issue with the U.S. protecting Germany as it strikes deals with Russia.

Trump’s dramatic exchange with Stoltenberg set the tone for what was already expected to be a tense day of meetings with leaders of the military alliance as Trump presses jittery NATO allies about their military spending ahead of his meeting next week with Putin.

November 17, 2015

“The United States is paying far too much and other countries are not paying enough, especially some. So we’re going to have a meeting on that,” Trump said, describing the situation as “disproportionate and not fair to the taxpayers of the United States.”

“They will spend more,” he later predicted. “I have great confidence they’ll be spending more.”

And with that, he went on to push allies at the summit to double their commitment on defence spending.

“During the president’s remarks today at the NATO summit, he suggested that countries not only meet their commitment of two per cent of their GDP on defence spending, but that they increase it to four per cent,” said White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders.

She said the president raised the same issue at NATO last year and that, “Trump wants to see our allies share more of the burden and at a very minimum meet their already stated obligations.” (Source: CBC News) 

 

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Friday March 16, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday March 16, 2018

Canada sending 6 helicopters to help UN mission in Mali

September 21, 2016

Canada will send up to six helicopters and as many as 250 aircrew and troops to the troubled West African nation of Mali this summer, the Liberal government confirmed Monday.

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland made the announcement in the foyer of the House of Commons, providing little more in the way of clarity than the broad aspects of the mission that were leaked last week.

They did reveal that Canada’s year-long commitment will involve two CH-147 Chinook helicopters for medical evacuations and logistical support and four CH-146 Griffon helicopters for armed escorts.

The country’s top military commander, Gen. Jonathan Vance, told the news conference that planning is still underway, including consultations with the UN.

A spokesperson at the UN said Monday the helicopters are expected to be deployed in August.

October 13, 2010

“This is very much a welcome development,” said Stéphane Dujarric.

“As we know, Mali has been one of the deadliest peacekeeping missions for UN peacekeepers over the last few years. Unfortunately, on a monthly basis almost, if not more, we have seen peacekeepers being attacked, targeted or killed by improvised explosive devices.”

In an interview with CBC News later Monday, Vance said the military is aiming for August, but Canada still needs to consult with the Germans over their contingent, which is being replaced by Canadians.

The Chinook helicopters will be tasked with transporting other UN peacekeepers and the Griffons will act as “armed escorts,” he said.

Both the Germans and the Dutch have occasionally used their armed helicopters to support UN troops in Mali when they’ve been ambushed.

“At this juncture, the planning we’re doing is armed escort,” said Vance, noting again that Canadian planners need to speak with the Germans.

“It is possible in the tasks that we look at, they could be used for support to ground forces. It is possible. We’ve got to look at it. We need to get a lot more detail.” (Source: CBC News) 

Saturday September 16, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday September 16, 2017

U.S. not obliged to defend Canada in event of North Korean missile attack, MPs told

The highest-ranking Canadian officer at Norad has demolished a long-held political assumption by telling a parliamentary committee that the U.S. is under no obligation to defend Canada in the event of a ballistic missile attack.

Lt.-Gen. Pierre St-Amand laid out on Thursday — in stark terms — where the military lines of each nation begin and end in the event the North Korean crisis erupts into a shooting war.

“The extent of the U.S. policy is not to defend Canada,” said St-Amand, who is the deputy commander of the North American Aerospace Defence Command, which is responsible for defending the skies and maritime approaches to North America. “That’s the fact I can bring to the table.”

The debate over whether Canada should join the U.S. ballistic missile defence program re-emerged this summer following a series of  successful intercontinental missile tests by North Korea, including another missile launch from that country’s capital Pyongyang on Friday.

The missile flew over Japan before landing in the northern Pacific Ocean. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it travelled about 3,700 kilometres, reaching a maximum height of 770 kilometres.

February 25, 2005

The Liberal government in its recent defence policy review chose to uphold a 2005 decision by former prime minister Paul Martin to remain outside of the U.S. missile shield.

The often-cited political narrative has been that the U.S. would shoot down a missile if it was headed toward Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal.

St-Amand made clear that is not guaranteed and it would be a decision made “in the heat of the moment” by U.S. political and military leaders. (Source: CBC News) 

 

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Saturday June 17, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday June 17, 2017

China-based Hytera returns with matching bid for Vancouver’s Norsat International

September 23, 2016

Norsat International Inc., the Vancouver tech firm at the centre of duelling acquisition bids, says China-based Hytera Communications has matched a $67.3 million US rival takeover offer from an American fund manager.

Hytera, which manufactures radio transceivers and radio systems, made its friendly takeover offer for Norsat last year and received clearance under the Investment Canada Act this month.

April 26, 2017

But Privet Fund Management LLC — a U.S. company that already owns 17.6 per cent of Norsat’s equity — emerged with a rival bid this week that was 25 cents per share above Hytera’s offer of $11.25 US.

Although Hytera has now raised its offer to $11.50 US per share and amended the break fees in line with Privet’s bid, Norsat says there’s no assurance that the transaction will get all necessary approvals and be completed.

Hytera’s proposal has sparked a heated political debate over national security risks.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said this week that the U.S. was consulted before Industry Canada gave its approval early in June. But Norsat says it also needs approval from the federal government’s industrial technologies office.

Norsat announced Friday that its previously adjourned shareholders meeting will resume next Thursday in Richmond, B.C. (Source: CBC News) 

 

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Tuesday June 13, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday June 13, 2017

More muscle in our military

The world has changed profoundly since Justin Trudeau became Canada’s prime minister just over a year and a half ago.

May 26, 2017

Last week, Trudeau’s Liberal government profoundly changed how Canada will defend its interests in this world.

On Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland boldly declared that Canada will blaze its own trail through the international landscape because this country can no longer depend on the United States to lead.

On Wednesday, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan committed the government to $62 billion in new military spending over the next 20 years to guide and protect Canada on that pathway.

February 9, 2016

There will be 15 new warships and 88 new fighter jets — more planes than originally planned — for our armed forces.

There will be 5,000 more regular and reserve personnel, plus a defence budget that will rise from the current $18.9 billion a year to $32.7 billion a year by 2027 — a substantial 73-per-cent increase.

This is a dramatic and timely shift for the government and one Canadians can welcome.

It’s also a notable pivot for Trudeau who, in the early days of government, preferred foreign aid over boots on the ground as a problem-solver.

Trudeau’s flower power is morphing into Freeland’s and Sajjan’s hard power. (Source: KW Record)