(Colorado Springs) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Defense Minister Anita Anand previewed North America’s first continental line of defense on Tuesday, a system that experts and political leaders agree has badly in need of modernization.
Updated yesterday at 10:30 p.m.
Mr. Trudeau and Mr.me Anand, flanked by the U.S. and Canadian commanders of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), exchanged courtesies with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin as their visit began in an ornate conference room images of fighter jets and military insignia.
US Air Force General Glen VanHerck, current joint commander of NORAD and US Northern Command, opened the meeting by explaining the importance of his mission.
“I wake up every day, like all of our other members, knowing that we have the noblest mission on the planet, and that is the defense of our homeland,” VanHerck said.
“We need to talk a bit about the challenges we face in the country. We will talk about our strategy to meet these challenges. And then we’ll talk about some of the potentials we’re pursuing. »
Mr. Trudeau presented the shared responsibilities of NORAD as an excellent example of the close nature of the relationship between the two countries.
“The world is changing in many ways – threats are changing, technologies are changing,” he said. But one thing does not change: the unshakable partnership and friendship that we have between our two countries. And nowhere is that more evident than the integrated nature of the work we do here at NORAD. »
Mr. Trudeau, Mr.me Anand and Mr. Austin were greeted by a guard of honor in the colors of Canada and the United States as well as performances of the two national anthems.
“NORAD is the only bi-national command in the world,” Mr. Austin told the Canadian delegation. This highlights the depth and breadth of our relationship and our commitment to mutual defense. »
On the way to the Summit of the Americas
Trudeau, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly will spend the rest of the week in Los Angeles, where President Joe Biden is hosting leaders from across the Western Hemisphere for the Summit of the Americas.
On Monday, Mr. Trudeau did not explicitly say whether he supported Mr. Biden’s decision to exclude Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba from the summit, due to their disregard for democratic values and their questionable record in matters. of human rights.
The decision sparked protests in other parts of Latin America as well as a prominent defection from one of the most important partners: Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Some of the countries in the hemisphere are “less on the same page” than others, Trudeau acknowledged, but they all share a number of serious challenges, including migratory pressures, climate change and the full recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
All three will be on the agenda for the week-long summit, the part for the leaders of which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday.
Before leaving Ottawa, Mr.me Anand said she was “very close” to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
Asked about the time it takes to complete the upgrades, Mme Anand explained that the government meanwhile maintains continental defense systems.
“So we’re going to keep working on it,” she said. Modernizing NORAD is the unwritten chapter of ‘Protect, Secure, Engage’, our 2017 Defense Policy.”
Guilbeault is expected to participate in climate change discussions, while Ms.me Joly will meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Mexican counterpart Marcelo Ebrard.
Situation of Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba
Trudeau was on guard when asked Monday about the exclusion of Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba from the summit.
During a joint press conference with the new Chilean president, Gabriel Boric, Monday in Ottawa, Mr. Trudeau explained that “compared to Venezuela, Canada has long condemned the illegitimate regime of Nicolás Maduro, for its abuse human rights and democratic principles, but also for this extremely difficult migration crisis which is hitting very, very hard in South America”.
As for Cuba, Mr. Trudeau pleaded that “we have always been there to stand tall and strong to defend human rights, to push for more democracy, but we recognize that Canada has always had a different on Cuba than the United States”.
Mr. Boric was much more direct in condemning the “error” of the White House. “We must express in the United States and elsewhere that exclusion is not the right path,” said Mr. Boric on Monday. “When the United States decides to exclude certain countries from the summit, it actually reinforces the position that these other countries take at home. »
Mr. Biden’s decision to exclude the three countries prompted Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to confirm on Monday that he would not participate in this Summit of the Americas.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday dismissed the idea that López Obrador’s decision to avoid the summit is a sign of declining US influence in the hemisphere.
“The United States remains the most powerful force in leading hemispheric action to address the key challenges facing the peoples of the Americas – inequality, health, climate, and food security,” said Mr.me Jean Pierre.
“The president thinks he needs to stick to his principles and not invite dictators, but we can always have an in-depth conversation. [Le président] has a busy agenda, he’s going to be very busy. »
New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh said Tuesday that the three countries should not be prevented from having their voices heard at the summit simply because Mr Biden has “different political views”.
“The human rights concerns raised are always important to consider, but that is not a reason to deny these countries participation in a Summit of the Americas. I think it was the wrong decision,” Singh told reporters in Ottawa.
“I understand why the president of Mexico is protesting. Canada should also make it clear that it supports the participation of these three countries. »
Other priorities for the summit will include helping countries control the COVID-19 pandemic, forging new ties on climate and energy initiatives, tackling food insecurity, and leveraging existing trade agreements to better ensure that more people can enjoy it.