National Missile Defense in Canada
Encyclopedia
On 24 February 2005, Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew
announced Canada would not be joining the United States' missile defense program.
In Canada
, there was some level of debate over participation in the U.S. missile defense
program. Many Canadians felt that the program would do great damage to international peace and security by creating a new arms race
among the great powers. This viewpoint was shared by many who feared that the increasingly aggressive U.S. foreign policy under George W. Bush
, and who resented the suggestion that Canada may not have an independent foreign policy. Many also opposed the system because of the doubts of some physicists about the effectiveness of the system. In his first visit to Canada shortly after winning his second U.S. election, President Bush surprised Prime Minister Paul Martin
by making a speech calling on Canada to join the program and invoking the memory of former Prime Minister W.L. Mackenzie King's response to Nazi Germany.
The Canadian Department of National Defence
had mixed feelings about participation in the program. It wished to retain the current level of Canadian involvement in North American air defence through NORAD, but was reluctant to see scarce military funds spent on a single large research and development project of dubious practical value. There was a widespread feeling in Canada that failure to participate in the program would mean being shut out of American defense planning, something that would not be in the Canadian national interest. Others feared that rejection of the plan would lead to a cooling of Canada-U.S. relations, and might even lead to reprisals. Thus, while some Canadians were unsure about the viability of the system, many supported joining for diplomatic reasons. Opponents of involvement replied that Canada must have the courage to oppose the system on moral grounds, even if this decision proved to have negative consequences. They contended that it was important for Canada to reestablish its voice in the international arena by pushing for global disarmament and a revitalization of the United Nations
.
Pierre Pettigrew
Pierre Stewart Pettigrew, PC is a Canadian politician.Born in Quebec City, Pettigrew has a BA in Philosophy from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and an M.Phil in International Relations from Oxford University...
announced Canada would not be joining the United States' missile defense program.
In Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, there was some level of debate over participation in the U.S. missile defense
National Missile Defense
National missile defense is a generic term for a type of missile defense intended to shield an entire country against incoming missiles, such as intercontinental ballistic missile or other ballistic missiles. Interception might be by anti-ballistic missiles or directed-energy weapons such as lasers...
program. Many Canadians felt that the program would do great damage to international peace and security by creating a new arms race
Arms race
The term arms race, in its original usage, describes a competition between two or more parties for the best armed forces. Each party competes to produce larger numbers of weapons, greater armies, or superior military technology in a technological escalation...
among the great powers. This viewpoint was shared by many who feared that the increasingly aggressive U.S. foreign policy under George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, and who resented the suggestion that Canada may not have an independent foreign policy. Many also opposed the system because of the doubts of some physicists about the effectiveness of the system. In his first visit to Canada shortly after winning his second U.S. election, President Bush surprised Prime Minister Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
by making a speech calling on Canada to join the program and invoking the memory of former Prime Minister W.L. Mackenzie King's response to Nazi Germany.
The Canadian Department of National Defence
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
had mixed feelings about participation in the program. It wished to retain the current level of Canadian involvement in North American air defence through NORAD, but was reluctant to see scarce military funds spent on a single large research and development project of dubious practical value. There was a widespread feeling in Canada that failure to participate in the program would mean being shut out of American defense planning, something that would not be in the Canadian national interest. Others feared that rejection of the plan would lead to a cooling of Canada-U.S. relations, and might even lead to reprisals. Thus, while some Canadians were unsure about the viability of the system, many supported joining for diplomatic reasons. Opponents of involvement replied that Canada must have the courage to oppose the system on moral grounds, even if this decision proved to have negative consequences. They contended that it was important for Canada to reestablish its voice in the international arena by pushing for global disarmament and a revitalization of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
.
External links
- National Missile Defense and Canada An archive of excerpted documents pertaining to NMD with a strong focus on Canada.
- 52% of Canadians oppose Canada joining the program