Canada and BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENCE - 2014

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Canada and BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENCE - 2014

(Liberal) Senator Grant Mitchell’s Summer Newsletter 2014 - See Page 5

[ http://senatorgrantmitchell.ca/docs/DbM ... er2014.pdf ]

In June, the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence tabled its latest report titled “Canada and Ballistic Missile Defence: Responding to the evolving threat”.
[ http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Commi ... port-e.htm ]

The committee unanimously recommended that the Government of Canada enter into an agreement with the United States to participate as a partner in ballistic missile defence (BMD), in order to preserve Canada’s sovereignty, security and national interests.

In conducting the study, the committee sought to better understand the reasons for the decision in 2005 not to join the BMD program, the current threat environment, as well as a path forward which will protect Canada’s sovereignty and security, while at the same time strengthening Canada’s NORAD partnership.

Over the course of the study, the Committee learned from the Deputy Commander of NORAD, Lt. General Parent that Canada cannot simply assume that all of its territory will be protected by default under the existing U.S. BMD arrangement. Canada has been sharing early warning information for some time – without the benefit of BMD protection – so full participation in BMD is a logical next step in Canada’s defence policy.

To read the committee’s report or to learn more about the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence, please visit its website at
[ http://senate-senat.ca/secd-e.asp ]

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USSTRATCOM Signs Space Data Sharing Agreement with Canada's Department of National Defence
[ http://www.stratcom.mil/news/2014/462/U ... of_Nationa ]

U.S. Strategic Command Public Affairs January 10, 2014

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. – U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) signed a new Space Situational Awareness (SSA) data sharing agreement with Canada's Department of National Defence (DND) Dec. 26, 2013.

The agreement will permit an advanced exchange of SSA data. Canada joins Japan, Australia, and Italy by participating in these sharing agreements directed at promoting safety of space flight.

"We were pleased to finalize this data sharing agreement with Canada, one of our closest allies. These agreements are mutually beneficial, provide for greater space flight safety and increase our national security," said Adm. Cecil D. Haney, Commander, USSTRATCOM

The agreement enhances multinational space cooperation by streamlining the process for the Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC)/ Space Operations Cell, on behalf of Canada's DND, to request specific information gathered by USSTRATCOM's Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Such information is crucial for launch support, satellite maneuver planning, support for on-orbit anomalies, electromagnetic interference reporting and investigation, satellite decommissioning activities, and on-orbit conjunction assessments.