Defence Minister Anita Anand meets with U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III, at the Pentagon

February 10, 2023 – Washington, DC – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

Today, Defence Minister Anita Anand visited the Pentagon for a bilateral meeting with United States Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III.

Minister Anand thanked Secretary Austin for the United States’ close collaboration during the response to China’s high-altitude surveillance balloon that recently violated U.S. and Canadian airspace and international law. Minister Anand and Secretary Austin agreed that continued cooperation between Canada and the United States, including through NORAD, ensures the security and defence of North America – and that NORAD modernization is a pressing mutual priority.

Minister Anand also updated Secretary Austin on the progress of her visit to Washington, where she and Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, have been meeting with defence industry leaders. The Minister noted that she will continue to engage with defence industry partners in Canada and around the world as Canada reviews its defence policy.

In advance of next week’s meetings of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and of NATO Defence Ministers in Brussels, Belgium, Minister Anand and Secretary Austin discussed Russia’s brutal war on Ukraine, and determination by both countries to support Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Minister Anand reiterated that Canada will continue to provide Ukraine with the equipment that it needs to defend itself from Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion, and highlighted that Canada has provided well over $1 billion in military equipment, and over $5 billion in total assistance to Ukraine since February 2022. Minister Anand thanked Secretary Austin for his continued leadership of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and commitment to the security of Ukraine.

The Minister and the Secretary also discussed the importance of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Minister Anand noted Canada’s recently-released Indo-Pacific Strategy, which increases Canada’s military presence in the region – including through the annual deployment of a third Royal Canadian Navy frigate.

The Minister and the Secretary agreed on the continued importance of the Canada-United States partnership and look forward to the visit of President Biden to Canada next month, where the two leaders will discuss a broad range of bilateral and global priorities, including defence and security.