Defence Minister Bill Blair to travel to Europe for North Atlantic Treaty Organization and G7 Defence Ministers’ Meetings

October 15, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, will travel to Europe from October 17-20 to meet with Allies and partners to discuss issues of shared interest and ways to strengthen defence relationships.

From October 17-18, Minister Blair will attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting (DMM) in Brussels, Belgium. This meeting will be an important opportunity for Allies to discuss issues related to security in the Euro-Atlantic, Middle East and Indo-Pacific regions, as well as NATO’s ongoing support for Ukraine.

In Brussels, Minister Blair will participate in several side events, including a Defence Ministers’ Meeting of the Global Coalition Against Daesh. The Minister will also host a Northern Defence Dialogue with Arctic Allies and partner states to reaffirm their shared commitment to enhanced collaboration on Arctic security and defence.

From October 18-20, the Minister will attend the first-ever G7 DMM in Naples, Italy. He will participate in discussions with his counterparts on G7 priorities, including support for Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East, as well as economic security and resilience.

While in Europe, Minister Blair will hold several bilateral meetings with counterparts.

Media Availability

Following the G7 DMM, Minister Blair will hold individual interviews with Canadian media. For further information, please contact Simon Lafortune (details below).

Date and time: Saturday, October 19 between 9:30AM and 10:30AM ET

Other arrangements can be made if necessary.

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