National Security
Working Group on National Security
Ottawa, Ontario
About fifteen members of the CIC's Ottawa chapter, mostly with long personal experience inside DFAIT or DND, have been meeting to study the significance for Canada of the US National Missile Defence program. Many aspects of this complicated subject have been discussed. It is clear that certain topics, some of which are outlined below, have particular implications for Canadian-American relations.
While Canada prefers a multilateral approach in dealing with foreign affairs and security, the US has been inclined towards unilateralism. However, recent discussions with Russia and US allies, over missile defence and more recently over terrorism, appears to be increasing the American efforts to seek international cooperation.
It is important for Canada that NORAD continue to play a central role in North American defence. Responsibilities may be expanded for defence against cruise missiles and terrorism. But cooperation may be harder to obtain unless Canada proves more supportive over NMD.
The US program cannot continue much longer without violating the ABM treaty. But many observers fear that the demise of the ABM treaty could lead to the collapse of the many multilateral arms control treaties which have been effective in checking the proliferation of weapons. As a strong supporter of multilateral arms control, Canada would hope that the US and Russia modify the treaty to permit a strictly limited degree of NMD, accompanied by a substantial reduction in their large arsenals of offensive strategic weapons.
Another subject likely to bring future US policy into conflict with the preferences of Canada and many other countries will be the introduction of weapons into space. With the remarkable advances in space technology it will probably soon be possible to achieve several key objectives for effective worldwide defence against ballistic missiles by placing weapons into orbit that would be able to destroy both ballistic missiles and satellites.
Contact
George Lindsey, Coordinator
t (613) 745-3161
f (613) 745-3161
georgelindsey@sympatico.ca