Liberals debate defence upgrade
As North Korea threat looms, defence minister signals ‘modernization’ on the table
OTTAWA— A Liberal MP says it’s time that Canada looked at joining the United States on ballistic missile defence against North Korea’s threat to launch intercontinental weapons.
MP Mark Gerretsen (Kingston and the Islands) said that, with the evolving threat from North Korea, which launched tests of intercontinental missiles with greater range and boasted of new nuclear capabilities, it may be time to break from what has been Liberal, and Canadian government, policy since 2005.
That’s when then-Liberal prime minister Paul Martin, helming a minority government, bowed to opposition in his own caucus and among Canadians, and decided Canada would not participate in the American missile-shield program.
It angered the then-U.S. Administration of George W. Bush.
The Conservatives used it in repeated campaigns as a political wedge to criticize the Liberals.
But Martin’s Conservative successor, Stephen Harper, never reversed the decision.
“What I can tell you is, personally, I do think we need to start to look at what Canada’s role will be in that,” Gerretsen said.
Gerretsen said he had no way of knowing how widespread support is within the Liberal caucus for his position, a key factor in whether the government would move in that direction. If support within Liberal ranks has grown, it could make it easier for the government of Justin Trudeau to shift Canada’s position.
Gerretsen is a member of the Commons defence committee, which decided Tuesday to summon government and defence experts within a month for a deeper hearing on Canada’s operational readiness to deal with the evolving North Korean threat. He stressed he was not speaking on behalf of the government: “I’m here being a member of parliament on this committee.
Gerretsen says the committee itself believes it’s time to, at least, look at these questions.
But Gerretsen’s view was not shared by another Liberal, MP Stephen Fuhr, who chaired the committee Tuesday.
Fuhr told The Canadian Press that Canada has only limited resources for the military and that North Korea doesn’t pose a threat to this country.
Trudeau’s Liberal government has nevertheless already signalled it is ready to reopen those discussions after it tabled its defence policy review in June.
A spokesperson for Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, in an emailed reply to the Star, said the Liberal government has not formally changed Canada’s long-standing position on missile defence. But it’s clear the matter is on the table.
“While Canada’s new defence policy ‘Strong, Secure, Engaged’ does not change our position on BMD (ballistic missile defence), it does commit us to continue ongoing collaboration with our U.S. counterparts on ways in which we can evolve our approach to North American defence,” Sajjan’s press secretary Jordan Owens said.
“The new policy commits the government of Canada to examining, through NORAD modernization, territorial defence against all perils, including threats from cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and other future technologies to provide Canadians with greater security at home.”
Gerretsen, speaking to reporters after a rare summer committee meeting, said, “In 2005, we chose not to be part of it. Given what’s going on in the world now, maybe it’s time to start to have discussions about whether Canada should be part of that. That’s my own personal opinion on it.
“Given the threats that are continuing to emerge in the world and the fact that, over the last number of years, Canada has not been a participant when the United States are pretty much running the show with respect to ballistic missile defence, we should be having an ongoing discussion about what our role should be in that. And I think 10-years-plus after the fact is a timely opportunity to have that discussion.”
Conservative Opposition defence critic James Bezan would not go that far.
Bezan said, Tuesday, the Conservative caucus is waiting to hear from government experts on the state of Canada’s military readiness before developing its view on how to deal with any threat from North Korea.
Bezan said it’s up to the government and Trudeau to suggest the appropriate response before the caucus develops its position.
“Hopefully, we’ll see a diplomatic solution that will take away any necessity to have this type of war-gaming and planning going on behind the scenes because of the development of ballistic missiles.”
Bezan suggested that after Canada’s decision in 2005 “things didn’t change until this summer.
“And, from this point forward I think everyone is looking at how we can best work with the United States, how we can work through NORAD in dealing with this new threat.” He added Canada needs to worry not just about North Korea’s missile capabilities but also about non-conventional weapons and the “proliferation of submarines that have ability to come within Canadian waters.”