Defence policy update delayed

Liberals want time to explain how new document will mesh with foreign policy: defence minister

OTTAWA — The Liberal government announced Monday that it was delaying the release of its long-awaited defence policy update until after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gathers with other NATO leaders next week.

The surprise move sparked questions and criticism, including complaints from the opposition Conservatives about U.S. officials getting a sneak preview of the new policy before it’s made available to Canadians.

A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to The Canadian Press that U.S. officials would be briefed on the new policy at a “high level,” which he said “is customary with all major partners.”

The Liberals had promised to release the new defence policy update, which has been a year in the making, before Trudeau leaves for the NATO leaders’ summit in Brussels on May 25.

The top item on the summit’s agenda is expected to be defence spending, which U.S. President Donald Trump has been actively pressing allies to increase.

The Liberals’ defence policy, which has been a year in the making, was expected to lay out a plan for how Canada would start moving in that direction.

Canada currently spends only about one per cent of GDP on defence, which is half NATO’s target of two per cent and puts it in the bottom third of allies.

But Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced Monday that the policy would instead be unveiled on June 7 — nearly two weeks after the NATO summit.

The delay would give the Liberals, through Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, time to explain to Canadians how the new defence policy fits within the government’s broader foreign policy, he said.

“Our work on Canada’s new defence policy is done,” Sajjan said during question period.

“The next step is to share it with Canadians, but first, my colleague, the minister of foreign affairs, will be saying more about Canada’s foreign policy foundation.”

That explanation did not sit well with some defence experts or opposition critics, who questioned why the Liberals appear to be realizing only now that the defence policy should be tied to Canadian foreign policy.

The Liberals held roundtables with experts as part of the defence policy review, and many cited the need to make exactly that link. “All of us who have written about this said the first step should have been a foreign policy review leading to a defence review,” said George Petrolekas of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.

Shortly after announcing the delay, Sajjan and Freeland flew to Washington, D.C., for dinner with Secretary of Defence James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

“Why do Washington insiders get privileged access to Canadian defence policies before the Canadian public does and before the Canadian military does?” asked interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose.