MA 12.141 - July 4, 2012
LONDON – The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, met todaywith the Right Honourable Philip Hammond, the British Secretary of State for Defence, to discuss ways in which the two countries can cooperate more closely on defence issues.
“In today’s international security environment, Canada and the United Kingdom face many of the same security goals and challenges,” said Minister MacKay. “Our partnerships in Afghanistan and, most recently, in Libya, are a clear demonstration of how our countries continue to work together to promote international peace and security.
The meeting provided an opportunity to reinforce Canada’s strong defence relationship with the United Kingdom (UK) and to discuss defence and security issues of mutual interest.
“Our two countries jointly face many common security challenges including terrorism, international piracy, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and failing states,” said Minister MacKay. “We face these challenges in a time of economic uncertainty that requires our militaries and defence teams to transform into even more agile and streamlined organizations,” the Minister continued.
Solidly founded in history, the defence and security relationship between Canada and the UK is fostered by the fact that we are allies in NATO and engage in close cooperation in international organizations including the United Nations (UN), and the Commonwealth, among others. The deep bond between Canada and the United Kingdom has been forged in peace and war, notably through the two World Wars, and in almost every major conflict for more than a century, including Afghanistan and Libya.
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