Coast Guard vessels won't be armed under defence plan: military vice-chief
The vice chief of the defence staff says the federal government does not intend to arm the Canadian Coast Guard.
Lt-Gen. Stephen Kelsey says the Coast Guard will remain a separate entity as it's moved under the defence minister's control.
He told a Senate committee today there are no plans to arm the civilian maritime force as it gains a new security mandate, adding Ottawa will count only a little more of the Coast Guard's annual budget toward its NATO spending.
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
Canada has for years failed to meet its NATO spending commitments and has come under heavy pressure from allies to boost military spending to the NATO benchmark of two per cent of GDP.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced new defence spending last week and vowed to integrate the Coast Guard into Canada's NATO defence capabilities.
Story continues below advertisement
Carney will be at the annual NATO summit next week, where member states are widely expected to commit to a new defence spending target for members of 5 per cent of GDP.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
24 minutes ago
- CBC
No joint G7 Ukraine statement coming after U.S. wanted language tweaked: source
Social Sharing There will not be a joint statement coming from G7 leaders on the war in Ukraine because the United States wouldn't agree to the final wording, a senior Canadian government source says. While there was one originally planned, the source said six of the leaders were prepared to go far in their language but the the Americans wanted to water it down. The official said the Americans did not want some of the pointed remarks about Russia to be included in the joint statement because they feared it would compromise negotiations with that country over ending their war. Instead, some of the language around Russia's invasion will be included in Prime Minister Mark Carney's "chair's statement." The move comes after the leaders spent the morning listening to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The group — made up of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. along with the European Union — did find consensus on some items, mirroring the list of priorities Carney had already laid out before the leaders' helicopters touched down in the Canadian Rockies on Sunday. They include the Kananaskis Wildfire Charter and statements on transnational repression, countering migrant smuggling, artificial intelligence and a "common vision" for the future of quantum technologies. There's a lengthy G7 critical minerals action plan as the leaders focus on diversifying production to counter China. Those minerals are an essential ingredient in powering the modern technology that we use every day. Canada could benefit given how many of those minerals can be found in this country. The G7 leaders released another joint statement Monday night, calling for a "de-escalation" of hostilities in the Middle East. It affirms Israel's right to defend itself and recognizes Iran as "the principal source of regional instability and terror" but also calls for some sort of "resolution." "We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza," read the statement, made public after Monday's working dinner.
The Market Online
34 minutes ago
- The Market Online
@ the Bell: Markets slide as Iran-Israel conflict deepens
Canada's main stock index declined on Tuesday as the conflict between Iran and Israel entered its fifth day, prompting investors to shift toward safer assets amid concerns the situation could escalate into a wider regional crisis. On Monday evening, US President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform, urging, 'Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran.' He also left the G7 summit in Canada ahead of schedule to address the unfolding Middle East crisis. US markets also saw a downturn as investors closely monitored the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran. In an unexpected announcement, Prime Minister Mark Carney revealed that he and Trump had agreed to pursue a new economic and security agreement between their countries, aiming to finalize it within 30 days. The Canadian dollar traded for 73.19 cents US compared to 73.77 cents US on Monday. US crude futures traded US$3.33 higher at US$75.10 a barrel, and the Brent contract rose US$3.46 to US$76.69 a barrel. The price of gold was down US$12.88 to US$3,384.76. In world markets, the Nikkei was up 225.41 points to ¥38,536.74, the Hang Seng was down 80.69 points to HK$23,980.30 the FTSE was down 41.19 points to ₤8,834.03, and the DAX was down 264.47 points to €23,434.65. The material provided in this article is for information only and should not be treated as investment advice. For full disclaimer information, please click here.
CBC
39 minutes ago
- CBC
G7 leaders release 6 joint statements, addressing wildfires, AI, critical minerals — but not Ukraine
The Latest It's the last day of the Group of Seven nations summit in Kananaskis, Alta. Leaders of several countries who aren't part of the G7, including Ukraine, India and Mexico, have arrived at the summit and will meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney. The G7 leaders have so far signed seven joint statements, with six today addressing issues like AI, migrant smuggling, critical minerals and wildfires. Carney promised additional military support to Ukraine's war effort ahead of a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. U.S. President Donald Trump unexpectedly bowed out of the annual summit early, returning to Washington yesterday as Israel and Iran stand on the brink of possible war. Before he left, Trump and Carney agreed to pursue a new trade deal within 30 days.
