Missile shield advocate on panel
A former Liberal cabinet minister currently advising the Trudeau government on its new defence policy described ballistic missile defence two years ago as an “amazingly new form of weapons system” that Canada should join.
Bill Graham, who was foreign affairs and defence minister under Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin, respectively, made the comments to the Senate defence committee in May 2014. The committee included many of Graham’s remarks in its final report, which recommended Canada participate in missile defence.
Graham is now one of four members of a blue-chip panel advising Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan as the Liberal government conducts a comprehensive defence review, in which ballistic missile defence is being considered. That review is expected to produce a new Canadian defence policy early next year.
Sajjan’s press secretary, Jordan Owens, said Graham was chosen for the panel “because he brings to the table a wealth of expertise in defence, security, foreign affairs and legal matters.”
The panel also includes former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour, former chief of defence staff Ray Henault, and former senior public servant Margaret Purdy, who spent most of her career working on defence and security matters.
NDP defence critic Randall Garrison said Graham’s comments raise fears a decision on missile defence has already been made. Opposition critics have previously worried the defence review is a paper exercise, and that the Liberals already know what they want — and don’t want — in their new defence policy.
“I do respect the expert panel, and I do respect former minister Graham being on the panel,” said Garrison, whose party opposes ballistic missile defence. “My emerging concern is that there seems to be some things where, to put it at its most impolite, the fix is on.”
Graham’s office said the former minister was travelling overseas and unavailable for comment this week.
Graham, who was defence minister when Martin opted out of joining the U.S. missile defence program in 2005, told the Senate committee on May 26, 2014, that Canada’s participation was essential to protecting its privileged defence relationship with the U.S.
“The other thing is, if we’re not, where does that leave us?” he added. “It seems to me we’re outside of an extraordinarily complex and amazingly new form of a weapons system which will affect our security but which we are foreign to decisions around its development. I think that’s a dangerous place to be.”
MY EMERGING CONCERN IS THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME THINGS WHERE, TO PUT IT AT ITS MOST IMPOLITE, THE FIX IS ON. — RANDALL GARRISON, NDP DEFENCE CRITIC