Canadian Press: Pentagon gave Canada classified paper detailing defence priorities

Noah Note

I wasn't going to post about this topic originally, but I did post a bit on X, and since it is a bit of a hot topic right now, I thought I would give some thoughts of my own. For those who didn't see it, the team at the Canadian Press let out a story this morning. Quote:

“A high-ranking U.S. defence official says the Pentagon gave Ottawa a classified paper laying out priorities for a collective North American defence pact with Canada, but that Ottawa did not deliver a “credible” response.”

And so started a bit of a stir today, both on what this list might have been and in the usual back and forth on who is in the right here. Usually, for topics like this, I try to keep out of them because they rarely provide much more than the usual rants on American attitude and the current administrations tendency to cause drama.

And drama it is. However, I do think that this topic and the story laid out here is worth discussing at least a little bit. Make note of the phrasings use here. It isn't that the United States is merely asking us to contribute, but are looking to set firm commitments and demands for Canadian investment and participation in certain areas

On discussions around timeline and on providing financial support for initiatives, We kinda saw this with Golden Dome discussions, where the United States aimed for Canada to provide significant upfront investment into U.S. programs under the guise of Continental Security

In a funny turn, we've taken a lot of the Golden Dome concepts and just decided to do at it ourselves, or at least try to do so. We've revently added a new Moving Target Indicator sattelite Constellation project to the dockets that parallels ongoing American efforts in the same area.

That will provide an Arctic-aligned Constellation that will work in tandem with assets like AEWC amd the future OTHR to track Sea and Air targets. It is the concept that U.S. officials championed as a replacement when they tried to ditch the E7.

That's the funny thing. There is clearly ongoing attempts to align to the United States when it comes to concepts and plans, however that doesn't seem to be the core issue, and one has to ask then what the primary concerns with the Canadian response is.

Is it alignment? Timelines? Does the United States believe it can dictate what our procurement priorities are? Of course we don't knownthe full desire of the American administraion, though there is a concept of announcement versus capability that many seem to ignore here.

Announcements don't equal capability. Even if assets are coming, they are not here yet, and if the current administration decides that it specifically is an issue? We won't be able to rely on planned investments or ongoing purchases on order as viable answers.

Granted. Certain things are only delivered as fast as they can be delivered, and in many cases that is more in American hands than ours. This also gets into other issues with the American administration from the procurement side, and the ongoing slowwalking that industry has seen at several stages from the American government when it comes to supporting procurement opportunities.

For those who mighr have forgotten, there is concern that the American government is either dragging out approvals for things like Technical Assistance Agreements, which are legally required under ITAR if they want to share technical knowledge, collaborate, or provide training to foreign entities, or that the system is failing to provide approvals in a reasonable timeline due to any number of bureaucratic or administrative issues.

These holdups have been a bit of a headache for a few, who are awaiting approvals to be able to submit bids or receive documents. It, among other things, is just one of the many little issues currently escalating the frustration in the Continental relationship.

I had this conversation with someone else recently funny enough, specifically on IAMD, on how Canada is trying to align without proper participation, and to that, whether the United States would accept a Canada doing it's own thing so long as we covered what was desired.

For the current administration that seems to not be as cut and dry a case. There very clearly seems to be a "You need to follow and you need to contribute as we dictate" angle that can and will cause some irking on both sides. That is especially true for issues out of our hand.

I imagine there were some things on that list that were more direct (buy the f35) but I also imagine there was a fair bit that was more... abstract or conceptual over a direct demand. I think calling it a shopping list as some commentators have said is the wrong approach.

I don't think that is what this is, not in full. Nor do I think that this is a quintessential list of demands. I do think there are concrete demands, but not all in the “You will do this” category. I think there is significant “Explain exactly how this will be done and met” thrown in there.

And to our credit, we are plannign a lot, and we are doing better, but we are playing catchup… and for the current administration they don't seem to really seem to care about plans. They very much seem concerned with capabilities being deployed and available.

This isn't a defence mind you, not at all, but it is an acknowledgement that we are starting from a bad position, and getting to a great one as expexted will take tome and more than what we have planned in the immediate. That is where this becomes a long-term, persistent issue that can drag down the relationship.

That raises the question then on where Canada needs to properly align versus where Canada needs to be collaborative. The answer will likely always fall somewhere between for the current Federal government, who seems to believe that they can manage through such a strategy.

Align but don't align fully. Thats the name of the game. It's very clear there is a communication issue somewhere in here but to what extent? I can't say. Does it matter? Maybe not. You cant communicate with someone who doesnt wanna talk the same conversation as you.

And maybe thats the stage we're at, two people trying to yell into the void at each other, each screaming about something different that the other can't or chooses not to understand. Keeping in mind the volatility and fragmented nature of the current administration? Maybe we don't know what they're even talking about any more.

The problem is unlikely to be solved anytime soon, nor can we expect the Americans to be pleased with much of anything until we see capabilities in the field. That's my thoughts. Until then this passive-aggressive messaging is likely to continue.

Unfortunately, I do think that a lot of the revent news is starting to get to people, and actively making such discussions harder. This is a bit personal, but a lot of my friends have tried their best to either stay out or work above the government side of things.

Now? A lot of those people seem to have stopped trying to keep things going as they have, are starting to view the relationship as understandably toxic and just want out. One of the greatest binational relationships on earth, a relationship unlike any on earth. Torn down and turned again in just ober a year.

That's sad. That feels really sad. Maybe it's just my naturally emotional nature, but a part of me hates to see it, to see the relationship move further and further into active fighting. I like to believe there is still a pathway to recover. This isnt the first time we have had such issues, and won't be the last.

I like to believe that relationship is stronger than individuals, that maybe there is still an underlying layer of brotherhood and comradery that can survive any political poisoning trying to seep into it's veins, but now I am not quite sure how extensive that is, and how far that sense will carry us before everyone just tires out and gives up on trying.

I don't know. Perhaps it is I who is the fool for being so hopeful and blind to the wolves around us. I do try to maintain some positivity. That's my thing after all. I try to keep this space somewhere to escape the negativity. Yet increasingly, I have asked myself if that is out of care for all of you or my own arrogance.

Time shall tell I suppose, but for now it is but another cut innthe relationship. We're still a long way off, but the thousandth feels like it looms closer and closer everytime things like this come up.