Canada on sidelines as U.S., Britain, Australia move ahead on new security deal
CTV
Canada's omission from a military pact involving three of its closest allies is symptomatic of a larger problem in how this country is perceived by its friends, experts are warning, as the U.S., Britain and Australia move ahead on their deal.
Canada's omission from a military pact involving three of its closest allies is symptomatic of a larger problem in how this country is perceived by its friends, experts are warning, as the U.S., Britain and Australia move ahead on their deal.
U.S. President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian leader Anthony Albanese were at a naval base in San Diego on Monday to confirm the next steps of the trilateral agreement, known as "AUKUS" after the three countries involved.
That includes formalizing American and British plans to help Australia develop a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines in response to growing concerns about China's actions in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Trudeau government has downplayed the importance of AUKUS to Canada, saying Ottawa is not in the market for nuclear-powered submarines, even as others have lamented its absence.
Those include a senior Canadian Armed Forces commander, Vice-Admiral Bob Auchterlonie, who worried in a recent interview with The Canadian Press about Canada not having to the same cutting-edge technology as three of its closest allies.
The head of the association representing Canada's defence industry, who criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for dismissing AUKUS as simply a "nuclear-submarine deal," has also warned about the potential impact on Canadian military exports.
Canada's exclusion is being seen as further evidence that its allies do not believe Ottawa is not serious about pushing back against Chinese ambitions, despite the recent release of a new Indo-Pacific strategy late last year.
