Canada is in discussions about joining an expanded AUKUS deal between the U.S., Britain, and Australia formed to counter China's growing military influence in the Asia Pacific region, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair said.
Canada has said it wants to join a second pillar of AUKUS that will collaborate on new military technologies, including artificial intelligence and quantum computing, but has not so far revealed any details of those talks.
"There have been important discussions about processes and platforms on a project-specific basis on where other nations, including Japan and ourselves, might participate," Blair said in an interview in Tokyo where he met his Japanese counterpart Minoru Kihara.
"I would respectfully wait until they've come to their determination, but I'm very optimistic," he said.
Blair said he and Kihara discussed AUKUS, which is already considering working with Japan. The initial phase of AUKUS involves the three founding members working on nuclear submarine technology for Australia.
Blair, who was on his first trip to Japan as defense minister, arrived in Tokyo from South Korea, which is also in talks about a role in AUKUS.
Canada is looking for a bigger security role in Asia and has made forging deeper ties with Japan and South Korea a priority. As its defense commitments expand at home and overseas the country is expanding military spending.
"Next year, my defense budget will rise by 27% over this year, and, frankly, in the next three or four years, our defense spending will triple," Blair said.
He and Kihara also discussed Chinese incursions into Japanese territory that last month prompted Tokyo to lodge protests with Beijing.
Concerns about that Chinese military activity may be discussed at a meeting of the Group of Seven defense ministers in Italy next month, Blair said.
"It's an important opportunity for us to have a conversation among the G7 partners about some of the activities that are deeply concerning to Japan and to Canada and to the United States and others."
© (Thomson Reuters 2024.
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isabelle
Excellent news for the free world. Bad news for the authoritarians.
Japan and Canada will both contribute to, and benefit from, Pillar Two. Canada is also a very dependable Arctic power.
I'm much more skeptical about South Korea, as its stance/level of reliability swings wildly depending on who is in power, but hopefully in time it will be an asset too.
Antiquesaving
This has to be a joke!
Canada's military is depleted, a population near 40 million but it can barely get and retain 60,000 ( in 1989 population 26 million it had 88,000 strong military) it is over 15,000 personnel below what is considered minimum operational minimum.
The navy pulled out of it's agreed upon west Africa patrolling because " the ships do not have the minimum needed experienced personnel" ships are routinely sent out undermanned by as much a 40%.
Its air force is flying used jets bought from Australia, used helicopters leased from multiple places because the majority of the air force's own helicopters our out dated and unsafe to fly.
Used British submarines.
The government has commandeered or cannibalized the military for its vehicles APC, etc..long over due and needed to replace outdated equipment, and gave it all to Ukraine.
The government promise to replace these has now been rolled back again with the government now saying it will temporarily buy "off the shelf" tucks and pick-ups ti fill the gap.
It is more like Canada needs to join because it has nothing left to defend itself.
Peter14
@Antiquesaving perhaps you just missed the 27% increase in the defense budget for this year and that the budget will triple in the next 3-4 years. That is some hefty spending to correct the current situation you describe.
I personally doubt the claim Canada will triple its defense spending in 3 or 4 years. Thats a heck of a bill to pay, and where it all comes from is a mystery. From a 2023 total of $27.2 billion USD to triple that would become $81.6 billion or well over 4% of GDP from the current 1.6%. I am sure that figure will be cut drastically in the near future.
Antiquesaving
Nope didn't miss it,
But perhaps you didn't understand the following
This was just announced on September 7th.
Basically as usual the Canadian government makes a big budget announcement, then quietly pull out or reduces it
So the 1600 new armored and light armored personnel carriers is now to be decided at a "later date" and the purchase of
The budget for 1600 APC was supposed to be $495 million, but the cost then became $ 750 million and is now $1 billion.
So the entry project was put off to some unknown date.
The reason?
And those made for the Canadian military were given to Ukraine and because of the demand and politics, the Trudeau government is prioritizing Ukraine and the money promised in the big budget announcement was quietly diverted to buying equipment for Ukraine.
And you can bet that as the year progresses more and more things will quietly be cut.
On that you are more than likely right.
One thing about the Canadian government and especially the Trudeau government. It is famous for making big announcements and claims then pulling out rolling back or just not doing what is says it will and that goes double when it comes to the military.
New purchase of ships, announced, I can remember that being done over a decade ago, then nothing and then cancelled, the same for new jet fighters ordered, cancelled, then once the old CF-18 started crashing because they were way past Operational life, Canada scrambled to buy used Australian jets, the same with the sea kings etc...
Budget after budget, announcement after announcement, cancelation after cancelation, delay after delay. Nothing gets done.
Peter Neil
build a wall around china.
and have mexico pay for it.
Yrral
Isabelle , America do not care about your survival,as an American I do look for the US military to protect me, because that not their role,you foreigner are on your own as regard to China
nik
For the Chinese, it is better that the more countries unite among themselves in military alliances, the clearer and easier it is to strike at this gang of colonialists
Antiquesaving
Obviously you don't know much about the world or geography.
The USA cares a lot and especially about Canada because it is the first line of defense ( look up NORAD) from attack via the Arctic and if you knew geography, Alaska depends on ground access through Canada.
So the majority of the USA early warning system for the norther USA is all stationed in Canada and dependant on Canadian cooperation.
But it doesn't surprise me Americans are clueless about this.
Fighto!
AUKUS with Canada and Japan - and any other freedom-loving democracy - would be stronger and better for the world, and Rule of Law.
The fact that the Communist China fans are moaning about the prospect of Canada joining indicates they are upset - not that it takes much to rattle them. They'll protest anything that Communist China tells them to.
isabelle
Ah, I see... and there was me thinking the US had a formal defense pact with Japan.
I guess the US will just ignore that and leave the First Island Chain to China, who will gladly hold trillions in trade hostage, and break out into the Pacific to threaten US bases.
Thanks for clarifying the situation to us all.
It's better for the enemy to be stronger than weaker? Wow, that's some avant-garde security doctrine.
With tactical genius like that, I think there may be a job for you at the Kremlin.
Yrral
I know Russia is closer to the US ,than to Canada,about two miles from the Russia border,I am closer to Canada,than I am too West Texas ,where I live,the US has orbital satellite to detect Russian missile launcher
Yrral
Those that do.jot embrace Liberty, Equality and Justice for All , should not get America blessings,but I got to give it to Canada they embrace these values greater than we do in America
Antiquesaving
Need to update that idea.
Canada was once but not anymore.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/army-sleeping-bags-arctic-1.7321680
And I wish this was a rare occurrence, but sadly it is now the norm.
The government bought computer systems, turned out " not suitable" for the military needs, bought ships again "Not suitable for Canadian climate".
They even bought rifles that were not suitable for arctic winters.
They ordered new helicopters, signed the contract then found out the helicopters they ordered were not the suitable Version for Canadian winter conditions and the modifications to make them suitable was more expensive than buy new different models.
So they cancelled the order paid million in penalties, said they would order new different ones and didn't.
Watching the Canadian government in recent years is like watching a bad sitcom.
Yrral
Canadian could been part of the US ,they were colonist who chose to live under the crown
proxy
It would be very risky to include Canada at this time. 11 parliamentarians wilfully worked to help a foreign government, assumed to be China, and the names are still being kept secret by the Trudeau regime.
Those 11 still sit and could well include ministers or the Prime Minister himself.
Since Trudeau will not release the names, Canadians are left to assume that that is because some are high level powerful people within his government.
Until Canada gets its house in order and at least restricts parliamentarians who have been working to benefit a foreign government from parliament, the country is NOT to be trusted.
Peter14
Balances have shifted sharply since 2022, and even Canada realizes it must do something. Purchase orders are in for F-35 fighters, P-8 poseidon patrol craft and more on the shopping list. AUKUS level 2 would give possible access to high tech defense assets in the future so Canada is basically reading the future and acknowledging that it needs to be in a position to take advantage of projected defense technologies over a fairly broad spectrum. Lets see how it pans out in 12-24 months.
proxy
@Peter14
Are you comfortable with sharing secrets and technology with a government that has members literally working for China?
Peter Neil
let’s just have a global thermonuclear war and get it over with.
at least we wouldn’t have to read about geopolitics and politics for awhile.
Peter14
proxyToday 12:32 am JST
Five eyes has been operating for decades without known issues regarding your assertion. So no, I dont have a problem with Canada. Any leaks will be found and plugged and could come from any nation. Chinese spy networks operate everywhere 24/7. Not going to let that stop us doing whats needed because they "might" find out about some of it.
proxy
@Peter14
This is very different. These are new leaks, nothing has been done and Canada's national security agency was so concerned that they illegally leaked the facts to the media.
At this time, Canada is not to be trusted which is why the US excluded Canada from AUKUS.
Antiquesaving
Well is it China?
CSIS never said what countries, CBC was the one that started the speculation it was China and India.
But if it was then Trudeau would have no reason to protect them, well at least no reason to protect those supposedly helping China.
But with the history of Canada covering up past Ukrainian stuff, all the China talk could easily be a diversion and why Trudeau is so reluctant to expose the 11.
Remember with 8 million that call themselves UKRAINIAN "canadian" that often show more loyalty to Ukraine than Canada, this is not far outside the possibility.
With the nearly 80 year cover-up of 2,000 to 3,000 Ukrainians that helped Germany and even fought in German uniforms that were let in to Canada with the help of the Ukrainian community and with the again with the Deschênes Commission report on war criminals being classified and refusing to release it to the public.
So was it China, India, Ukraine, or just one of them all of them, some of them, either way, something in Trudeau's government stinks.
proxy
@Antiquesaving
Trudeau is motivated to protect the parliamentarians working for China and China because Chinese money and interference got him elected.
You are very correct in stating "something in Trudeau's government stinks," which is why Japan should not share information or support Canada joining AUKUS, at this time.
Antiquesaving
Let me remind you.
Canada ordered new naval ship in 2014 and canceled after paying million and not even being able to agree where they would be built.
Canada ordered the F-35 jets and yep you can already guess it canceled that deal also losing millions is cancelation penalties.
Then it ordered and then cancelled Super Hornets costing another load of millions in penalties.
This is a recurring thing for over a decade and a half if not more.
Antiquesaving
He is also motivated by not upsetting Freeland and her very powerful Ukrainian community. Her grandfather was Michael Chomiak who was a collaborator writing propaganda for the Germans in Warsaw, she supports OUN/UPA and defends Roman Shukhevych who is lionized by some for his fight for Ukrainian independence against pre war Poland by UPA massacres of Polish women and children.
So maybe China but the 8 million Ukrainian calling themselves Canadian pull a lot of vote power Trudeau can't afford to lose.
Yrral
Peter14,put so much faith in American people,that do not care about him,Canada will naturally be protected from invasion, because they are neighbors like Mexico, Mexico is not part of NATO,they would also be protected, because they border our country
TaiwanIsNotChina
This is a good thing as resisting the disgusting savagery being visited on Ukraine today is more important than past nonsense.
GDBD
I am pretty sure we saw this before under a different name.
Nato fluffed up Ukraine saying they will back it up if attacked by Russians. Now all they do is simply spending a bit pocket money while Ukranians and Russians are dying in hundreds thousands. A little price to pay for the west as long some Russians die. Even that pocket money is about to run out but Ukranians and Russians have already passed the point of return and they will keep killing each other in the near future.
Next they will try the same thing against China under the name Aukus/Quad/or whatever another trick works. It is clear Chinese will die. My question is who is the other party to die. Taiwanese? Japanese? South Koreans? Philippinos? Whose life is worth of the western pocket money?
Antiquesaving
Sure if you support people that support and accept ethnic cleansing.
Because those are the people these Ukrainian in Canada see as heroes.
Nice to know you are fine with ethnic cleansing as long as it happened before.
TaiwanIsNotChina
If animals like Russia and China can be goaded into unprovoked attack then yes, pocket money will be spent.
GDBD
Of course you do what you do the best. I am trying to raise Asian awareness so they don't fall for western deadly tricks.
CanuckNikkei
Justin Trudeau admires the communist Chinese. He might pass on every military secret of AUKUS to them.
Desert Tortoise
Don't paint all Americans with the same brush.
I still vividly recall Canadian indignation during the latter years of the Cold War when the US was fretting that the Soviets could advance across the Arctic using their big icebreakers and an emerging class of icebreaking cargo ships to land a couple of divisions in the Canadian north and the US would have to send troops in to stop them. The Canadians were indignant at the hint the US might feel compelled to act without their permission.
Desert Tortoise
Where do these outright lies come from? Do you have even an ounce of honesty in you?
happyhere
China poses zero threat to Canada. The question of Taiwan independence is of no more concern to Canada than Quebec's is to China.
If Canada wants to spend money on the military then it should start building icebreakers. The sovereignty of the Canadian artic really is Canadian business.
Desert Tortoise
Canada is building icebreaking patrol ships for both its navy and coast guard, both based on a successful Norwegian design. They have a program to build larger polar class icebreakers too. I question their military utility. They are fine for peacetime presence operations and law enforcement, but when ordnance starts to fly I think they are the wrong tool for the job. Too slow, they lack maneuverability in ice and don't have any good way to detect and engage an enemy submarine, which can hear them crunching through the ice many kilometers away and attack from beneath them..
CanuckNikkei
Justin Trudeau admires communist China. It's on the record.
Look it up before casting personal aspersions.
Desert Tortoise
Prove it.