INDEPTH: BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENCE
Canada's Role
CBC News Online | Updated Oct. 5, 2006
Just when Canada seemed about to say yes, it was no. Now that it's no, it might be yes.
The U.S. can be forgiven for being a little confused by Canada's response to America's proposed Ballistic Missile Defence program.
The U.S. is not seeking to base missiles in Canada and is not looking for a financial contribution to the program. It also does not need Canada's participation to continue with the plan.
Since becoming Prime Minister, Stephen Harper has not said what Canada's role will be in the U.S. missile defence program. When he met with U.S. President George W. Bush in Mexico in March, they didn't talk about missile defence, but in the past, Harper has said Canada's participation should be revisited. He has also said he would hold a free vote in the House of Commons on the subject.
In September 2006, the Senate defence committee recommended that Canada should sign on to the U.S. ballistic missile defence program, criticizing the decision by the former Liberal government to reject Canadian participation in the program.
"The government should not make the mistake that the last government made by refusing to support the United States in this project." The report concludes that an effective anti-missile system has the potential to save "hundreds of thousands of Canadian lives."
Most Canadians have been leery of Washington's missile defence intentions. Poll after poll suggests that most residents of this country want no part of it.
NDP Leader Jack Layton has been one of the most vocal opponents of involvement in the program. He told reporters that when he spoke to Bush it was clear missile defence will eventually include placing weapons in the Earth's orbit to shoot down hostile missiles.
Missile defence is also a major issue for the Bloc Quebecois, which is strongly opposed to the plan.
Last year, Harper accused the government of putting off a decision on the subject for too long.
Here's a look at how the issue has developed:
A call for formal talks
In spring 2003, then-foreign affairs minister Bill Graham joined prime minister Jean Chrétien and defence minister John McCallum in calling on the federal government to open formal talks with the U.S. to discuss the plan.
The call was echoed by the U.S. ambassador to Canada, Paul Cellucci. "We obviously want Canadian forces to be involved," he said in May 2003, emphasizing that the system would be used only for defence.
At the time, Chrétien said he was encouraged by the fact that the newest U.S. proposal was a clear departure from former president Ronald Reagan's so-called "Star Wars" program of the 1980s, which called for space-based offensive weapons.
The NORAD amendment
On Feb. 22, 2005, Frank McKenna, who was Canada's ambassador-designate to the U.S., said this country was already taking part in missile defence because of its agreement in August 2004 to share information from the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) with officials running the program.
"There's no question that the NORAD amendment has already given a great deal of what the United States needs in terms of input on North American defence," McKenna said.
After McKenna's blunt talk about the program, then-defence minister Bill Graham said the NORAD agreement and missile defence were separate issues, and that McKenna was simply misunderstood.
"NORAD evaluates a threat. Making a decision to launch a missile is a whole other story," said Graham.
Opponents of missile defence, however, say that the NORAD agreement was the Liberal government's way of signing on to the program without debating the issue in the House of Commons, and without upsetting the program's opponents within the party.
Bush makes his first visit to Canada
When Bush made his first visit to Canada on Nov. 30, 2004, the missile defence program wasn't on the agenda.
 |
U.S. President George W. Bush delivers his foreign policy speech at Pier 21, in Halifax Nova Scotia during his first official visit to Canada. (CP photo)
|
Nevertheless, during a joint news conference, Bush said the issue had come up during his talks with then -prime minister Paul Martin. The next day in Halifax, Bush again raised the matter. In his first major foreign-policy speech since winning re-election, he said he hoped Canada and the U.S. could move forward together on missile defence.
Ottawa had been looking for progress on resolving the softwood lumber dispute with the U.S. and reopening America's border to Canadian cattle which had been shut out by mad cow disease. Instead, Martin's government got a not-so-subtle nudge to stop pondering the defence program participation and start acting.
Days after Bush's visit, Martin told reporters the U.S. president raised the issue by asking why anyone would be opposed to missile defence.
Martin has always maintained that Canada needs to be at the table.
"If there is going to be an American missile going off somewhere over Canadian airspace, I think Canada should be at the table making the decisions," he said.
But Martin also insisted that he wouldn't sign on to a deal that puts weapons in space.
Canada says no
On Feb. 24, 2005, Martin made official Canada's stand on whether to take part in Washington's Ballistic Missile Defence program.
"Let me be clear: We respect the right of the United States to defend itself and its people," Martin told reporters.
Canada will continue to work with the U.S. for the common defence of North America, but those efforts won't be concentrated on missile defence, said the prime minister of the day.
^TOP
|
|
 |
 MENU |
|
|
| MORE: |
|
|
|
