VZCZCXRO2218
OO RUEHBW RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHQU RUEHVC RUEHYG
DE RUEHOT #0649 1331906
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 121906Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7840
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000649 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR CA
SUBJECT: CANADA'S NEW DEFENSE STRATEGY 
 
REF: 07 OTTAWA 1924 
 
¶1.  (U)  In a widely televised public address in Halifax, 
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Defence Minister Peter 
MacKay outlined a new "Canada First Defence Strategy," 
building upon themes from the 2006 Conservative election 
platform and the October 2007 "Throne Speech" at the opening 
of the fall Parliamentary session (reftel).  Canada will 
spend up to $30 billion over the next twenty years to 
"recruit and train a new generation" of Canadian Forces -- 
which will rise to 70,000 in the regular force and 30,000 in 
the reserve force -- and to invest in "next generation, 
state-of-the-art equipment," including surface combat ships, 
maritime patrol craft, fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft, 
fighter aircraft, and land combat vehicles and systems.   PM 
Harper commented that this program reflected the government's 
"commitment to stand up for Canada," to "strengthen our 
sovereignty and security at home and bolster our ability to 
defend our values and interests abroad," and to defend the 
country and protect Canadian citizens.  He emphasized that 
"if you want to be taken seriously in the world, you need the 
capacity to act." 
 
¶2.  (U)  PM Harper paid tribute to the defense alliance with 
the U.S. and shared responsibility for continental security, 
which he noted Liberal as well as Conservative governments 
over the past fifty years have supported.  He promised that 
Canada would work to "earn mutual respect" as it fulfills its 
obligations under NORAD.  He highlighted the importance of 
Canada's "robust and reliable" contributions to global 
security, notably its role in Afghanistan.  He explained that 
the stable, long-term funding increases in national defense 
as well as a revised procurement process would also bring 
economic benefits and advantages for "tens of thousands of 
Canadians," including "Canada's knowledge and technology 
industries, which will produce lucrative civilian commercial 
spin-offs." 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Comment:  This government's commitment to 
improving its defense capabilities and to invest in military 
modernization is welcome, in addition to being mostly 
politically popular.  It reflects the Conservatives' pledge 
that "Canada is back," while recognizing that improving these 
capabilities is an expensive and long-term process.  The 
government has, however, apparently shaved its earlier, even 
more ambitious goal of growing the Canadian Forces to 75,000. 
 Mission Canada will continue its close cooperation with the 
Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces to 
ensure full commercial opportunities for U.S. firms as Canada 
pursues these major acquisitions, as well as maximum 
inter-operability between Canadian and U.S. forces. 
 
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at 
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada 
 
WILKINS