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Canada Risks Air Defenses If It Fails to Join U.S. Missile Defense Effort, U.S. Ambassador Says
Canada could lose some emergency decision-making authority in the event of a terrorist attack or other catastrophic event in North America by not participating in the U.S. missile defense program, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Paul Cellucci said yesterday (see GSN, April 30). Canadians had automatic input on military decisions during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Cellucci said. “On (9/11), there was a Canadian general on duty at North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD) and if a (suspect) passenger jet was flying over Canada, the prime minister would be consulted about shooting it down,” Cellucci said. “It’s very much in Canada’s security interests to be at the table making those security decisions,” he added (Bill Kaufmann, Calgary Sun, July 13). Canada should join to program, said the country’s top official at NORAD. “It just makes sense to me to be part of missile defense, when you’re part of all the other defense functions,” said Lt. Gen. Rick Findley, NORAD’s deputy commander. “Why wouldn’t you want to be part of that last chunk? We already do missile warning,” he added. Findley’s assessment is the strongest indication yet that Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin is prepared to sign on to the plan, according to the Ottawa Citizen. Both U.S. and Canadian officials have questioned whether Canada could continue to be a full partner in NORAD without participating in the program, according to the Citizen. Canada contributes 30 percent of the system’s personnel and permanently staffs the deputy commander’s chair. Findley was NORAD duty commander the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, and ordered fighter jets into North American skies during the attacks on New York and Washington. While U.S. officers at NORAD have already begun training to operate the missile shield, Canadian personnel are waiting for their country’s decision to see if they will be involved, Findley said. Findley said Ottawa’s hesitation has strained military relations with Washington, but that he did not see any damage as serious. “It’s a little bit like a marriage proposal. Someone’s asked us to get married and we’ve kind of said we won’t give you a yes or a no answer yet,” Findley said. “So it’s that impatience of the bridegroom waiting for that answer. It’ll come. They’ll accept a yes or no answer,” he added (Mike Blanchfield, Ottawa Citizen, July 13). Martin discussed Canada’s potential participation in the program shortly after the country’s June 28 election, according to Cellucci. “When I talked to the prime minister last week he did say this was an issue that the government would address,” Cellucci said, CBC News reported. The cabinet is poised to make a decision before October, when the first U.S. interceptors are expected to be installed in Alaska, according to Martin’s office (see related GSN story, today; CBC News, July 12).
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