Defence Secretary has met with Canada’s
Minister of National Defence, Harjit Sajjan, to further
strengthen the historic relationship between the UK and
Canada.
Defence Secretary said:
The UK and Canada have enjoyed a close-knit relationship for more
than a century and we we have further reinforced this bond,
discussing the wide range of issues we face today.
At a time when our nations battle intensifying threats on
numerous fronts, we must continue to stand shoulder to shoulder
with Canada and all of our allies, to ensure the safety of our
people.
The two nations have maintained a close alliance on a wide range
of security issues for decades, and are uniquely linked. Both are
members of G7, the Five Eyes Intelligence Community, NATO and the
Commonwealth.
At the forefront of this bond is the posting of UK troops at
British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS), in Canada, which
will celebrate 50 years of operation in 2021.
Both countries have also expressed a desire to further reinforce
their commitments to international diplomacy, and co-hosted the
UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial in Vancouver last month.
The UK Defence Secretary also praised Canada for tripling its
training effort in the fight against Daesh, as well as increasing
their surveillance and intelligence in support of the
counter-Daesh coalition, which both countries are key members of.
Along with the Netherlands and France, the UK and Canada also
worked together to form the Multinational Caribbean Co-ordination
Cell during Operation Ruman, providing aid to those caught up in
the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria
in September.
