The Future of Canada’s Role in Hemispheric Defense

Abstract

After 9/11, the Bush Administration moved rapidly to form the Office of Homeland Security and a new military organization responsible for homeland defense, US Northern Command (NORTHCOM). In accordance with US law, NORTHCOM was established as a US-only military organization, one with unique hemispheric responsibilities. Upon the command's activation in October 2002, the United States now had inescapable influence on a newly defined geographic area of responsibility that included Canada and Mexico. (1) This unilateral move did not go unnoticed either to the north or south, and it revived within Canadian political circles long-standing concerns about Canada's national sovereignty. The Canadian government was concerned about how US Northern Command would affect both the Canada-US defense and security partnership and its own role in this relationship. On 5 December 2002, then-Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Phil Graham, signed the Diplomatic Agreement for Enhanced Military Cooperation between Canada and the United States. Although heralded as a significant geopolitical event, the reality was that the agreement was politically and strategically more important for Canada than it was for the United States. (2) Once again, the defense of the North American continent, the Canadian-US defense and security partnership, the issue of Canadian national sovereignty, and the historical tendency of the United States to act unilaterally returned to the forefront of Canadian politics. Because of the unilateral actions taken by the United States after 9/11, Canada believed it was on the verge of being marginalized. The reason was that with the establishment of Northern Command, the utility of the long-standing North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), a diplomatically crafted strategic partnership, was also being questioned. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, NORAD had not taken the necessary steps to adapt to the new defense and security paradigm that had started to emerge because of a new strategic threat--global militant Islamic extremism. The reality was that the NORAD Agreement, and its associated organizational structure, had been formulated based on the concept of deterrence and a binational response to an attack by the Soviet Union. On 11 September 2001, this 44-year-old Canadian-US defense and security paradigm was unceremoniously altered, and a new one had now taken its place. The purpose of this article is threefold: First, to address what Canada's future role will be in continental defense, both short and long term, in a post-9/11 defense and security environment. Second, how will Canada adapt to the new mutual national security issues that have emerged as a result of 9/11? Finally, what might the ramifications be if the foundation that supports Canada's position as a strategic partner continues to erode? Since 9/11, Canada's role in this long-standing defense and security relationship has slowly atrophied, and it could even be in doubt. (3) A couple of key factors are the reasons why this particular situation has manifested itself. One is that since the end of the Cold War, the capabilities of Canada's armed forces have steadily declined--so much so that questions are now being raised by the United States concerning interoperability. A second is that the US Office of the Secretary of Defense--rather than the Office of the Secretary of State--seems to have become the more dominant and influential organization concerning how the United States will continue to behave and operate in this long-standing defense and security alliance. This shift in emphasis is directly linked to the United States' unilateral approach to security that emerged following 9/11. That change caused a gap to form in the Canada-US defense and security partnership. How did that happen, what were the factors that led to this situation developing, how did Canada respond, and what are the implications for Canada as a mutual player in this defense and security partnership in the post-9/11 world? …