Don’t forget China during Russian invasion of Ukraine, Canada’s defense minister warns

Stating that Europe is “not the only fault line” in global security amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Defense Minister Anita Anand has her sights on China as the Canadian military looks to increase operations in the Pacific.

And Anand says Canada will be at the table with the US “in the short term with a robust package” to modernize the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to strengthen continental defence, including in the North.

“What this crisis has demonstrated more than ever is that Europe is not the only fault line in the global security environment at the current time,” Anand told the Ottawa Conference on Security and Defense on Friday.

“We have to be fully cognizant of China’s range of assertive activities in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world, and the patterns are there for all to see, frankly.”

The defense minister cited “coercive” behaviors in the East and South China Seas, theft of intellectual property, “irresponsible and very concerning behavior in cyberspace,” and hostage diplomacy tactics, as seen with the case of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were held in captivity by China for more than 1,000 days.

“We have to be clear-eyed about the fact that the NATO alliance and the countries that comprise it are being tested every day, not only in terms of the conflict in Ukraine, but also in terms of the threat that Russia and China present individually. and potentially in collaboration with each other,” Anand said.

“There are numerous indications of the existing threats in regards to those two countries.”

While the government continues to develop a new Indo-Pacific strategy, the Royal Canadian Navy is looking to increase its presence in the region, “with more port visits, with more training, with more exercises” with allies, she said.

Anand spoke a day after chief of the defense staff Gen. Wayne Eyre told the conference that Russia’s actions in Ukraine and elsewhere have made the Far North “a key area of ​​concern,” and that it’s “not inconceivable” that Canada’s sovereignty there could be challenged at some point.

In her mandate letter from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Anand was instructed to work with the United States on modernizing NORAD to strengthen continental and Arctic security.

Anand did not provide details Friday, but said the government has made “landmark investments” in the Arctic including joint exercises, new patrol vessels, and enhanced intelligence and surveillance.

In conversation with retired lieutenant-general Christine Whitecross, the former head of personnel for the Canadian Armed Forces, Anand pushed back on the suggestion that the procurement process is “slow.” She argued the Canadian government “led the world” in acquiring COVID-19 vaccines during her previous job as procurement minister.

She said Canada is on track to award a contract this year for the Future fighter capability project, which will deliver 88 new fighter jets, and also pointed to the investment in 15 surface combatant ships for the navy.

Anand and Eyre returned this week from visiting Canadian troops stationed in Europe, including with NATO deterrence missions. It was Eyre who called her in the middle of the night on Feb. 24, she said, “confirming what we all thought would occur” — Russia had invaded Ukraine.

The federal government has provided lethal and non-lethal aid to Ukraine, where thousands of soldiers were trained by Canadian troops as part of Operation Unifier. Anand said she is in almost daily contact with her Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksii Reznikov.

“Today he told me, ‘We will win and I will see you again,’” Anand said to applause.