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Minister's Speeches Archive
Canada's International Policy Statement
Statement by Bill Graham, MND
Ottawa - April 19, 2005
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NOTE: The following transcript is presented in the language(s) in which it occurred. There is no translation available. We are providing the transcript for your information.
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Je suis très content d'être avec mes collègues des Affaires étrangères, du Développement international et du Commerce pour vous présenter une toute nouvelle vision de la place qu'occupera le Canada sur l'échiquier mondial. L'Énoncé de la politique de défense qui reflète cette nouvelle vision marque en effet le lancement d'un processus à long terme visant à consolider les Forces canadiennes et à accentuer le rôle de cette institution nationale essentielle tant au Canada qu'à l'étranger. Il s'agit de la première politique de défense du Canada à paraître depuis la guerre froide et les événements du 11 septembre. Elle établit de nouvelles priorités claires en vue de relever les défis d'aujourd'hui et de demain en matière de défense et de notre sécurité.
The number one priority of the Canadian Forces will be the defence of Canada and North America. This is a clear recognition of the new threats and challenges we face in the post-9/11 era. We will achieve this in Canada and on a continental basis by establishing Canada Command, a single national operational command structure, by renewing and strengthening NORAD with our American allies, and enhancing the Canada-U.S. bilateral defence partnership in other crucial areas.
This new and enhanced domestic and continental security focus, however, will not diminish our international obligations and responsibilities. Canada has an important role to play in international peace and security. As such, we will focus our international deployments on failed and failing states where security is so desperately required.
In support of both the new domestic and international roles, our military will be fundamentally reorganized and the institution will be transformed to enable it to carry out its responsibilities in the most effective and efficient manner.
This Defence Policy Statement provides the intellectual framework for the Canadian Forces for now and for the foreseeable future. But ideas, obviously, are not sufficient in and of themselves. That is why this year's federal budget, which provided the largest increase in defence funding in a generation - some $13 billion over the next five years - is so crucial in this context.
En tant que ministre de la Défense nationale, je suis persuadé que nous possédons maintenant les idées, les compétences en leadership et les ressources financières qui nous permettront de poursuivre cette nouvelle voie en toute confiance.
And I believe that we will be meeting our responsibilities. We are making difficult choices under the instruction of the Prime Minister who is determined that Canada will occupy its important role in the world. Thank you.
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