IIR 6 815 0006 05/CANADA TO EXTEND MANDATE OF

1. (C/RELCAN) ON 20041104 CANADA'S CABINET APPROVED
THE EXTENSION OF THE CANADA-U.S. BI-NATIONAL PLANNING GROUP
(BPG) UNTIL THE END OF MAY 2006 COINCIDENT WITH THE
TERMINATION OF THE CURRENT NORTH AMERICAN AEROSPACE DEFENSE
COMMAND (NORAD) AGREEMENT. THE EXTENSION NOW ONLY REQUIRES
THE FORMALITY OF AN ORDER-IN-COUNCIL TO PASS (EXPECTED
MID-NOVEMBER 2004).



2. (U) THE BPG HAS BEEN WORKING VERY EFFECTIVELY SINCE
20021200 TO STUDY AND RECOMMEND NEW AREAS OF POTENTIAL CANUS
MILITARY COOPERATION. THEY HAVE INCREASED DIALOGUE AMONG
U.S. AND CANADIAN MILITARY STAFFS, ADVOCATED ENHANCED
INFO-SHARING, CATALOGUED OVER 350 BINATIONAL MILITARY
PLANNING DOCUMENTS, AND STUDIED THE POTENTIAL FOR ENHANCED
COOPERATION IN THE MARITIME, CYBER, AND CIVIL SUPPORT
DOMAINS.



3. (U) THE BPG WILL CONTINUE ITS CURRENT WORK HIGHLIGHTED BY
THE COMPLETION OF THE CANUS DEFENSE AND SECURITY AGREEMENT
(CDSA); A COMPLETE REWRITE OF THE CANUS BASIC SECURITY
DOCUMENT (BSD); A NEW CANUS CRISIS ACTION PLAN (CAP); AND A
NEW CANUS COMBINED DEFENSE PLAN (CDP). THESE NEW PLANS WERE
WRITTEN TO FACILITATE THE CONDUCT OF JOINT AND COMBINED
TRAINING AND EXERCISES IN SUPPORT OF BI-NATIONAL,
CROSS-BORDER HOMELAND DEFENSE AND MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO
CIVIL AUTHORITIES (MACA), ALSO KNOWN AS DEFENSE SUPPORT TO
CIVIL AUTHORITIES (DSCA). ALL SHOULD INCREASE BI-NATIONAL
INTEROPERABILITY.



4. (U) IN ADDITION, SEVERAL NEW MISSION AREAS FOR ENHANCED
COOPERATION MAY BE TAKEN ON BY AN EXTENDED BPG:



A. (U) JOINT AND COMBINED CANUS EXERCISES;



B. (U) MISSILE DEFENSE ARRANGEMENTS (SUBJECT TO CANADA
DECIDING TO PARTICIPATE);



C. (U) ENHANCED CANUS INTERAGENCY COOPERATION AND
COORDINATION;



D. (U) INFORMATION OPERATIONS;



E. (U) MULTI-NATIONAL DEFENSE AGREEMENTS.

COMMENTS: 1. (C/NF) FIELD COMMENTS. THE BPG HAS BEEN VIEWED
BY BOTH THE U.S. AND CANADA AS AN UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS. WHILE
THE EXTENSION OF THE BPG MANDATE COMES AS NO SURPRISE, IT WAS
HELD UP IN GOVERNMENT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS BECAUSE THE MARTIN
GOVERNMENT SAW THE MISSILE DEFENSE ISSUE AS MORE PRESSING
WHEN IN FACT THE BPG EXTENSION WAS THE MORE TIME SENSITIVE
ISSUE SINCE IT WAS DUE TO EXPIRE IN 20041200.



2. (C/NF) THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR THE BPG WILL BE TO
CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO UNCHARTED TERRITORY AS THE ISSUES AND
EQUITIES BECOME MORE AND MORE SENSITIVE WITH MARITIME DOMAIN
AWARENESS AND SECURITY MISSIONS; CYBER SECURITY AND
INFORMATION OPERATIONS; AND MISSILE DEFENSE PROTOCOLS SHOULD
CANADA DECIDE TO JOIN. THE BPG WILL ALSO HAVE TO PLAN FOR
ITS OWN SUNSET IN MAY 2006, FIGURING OUT HOW TO
INSTITUTIONALIZE ITS FUNCTIONS AND WHERE THEY SHOULD RESIDE -
WHETHER IN NORAD, NORTHCOM, OR ELSEWHERE.



3. (U) SOURCES REMAIN AVAILABLE FOR FURTHER EXPLOITATION.



4. (C/NF) THIS REPORTING SUPPORTS PRIORITY 3, PARAGRAPH 1D OF
THE DAO OTTAWA OPERATING DIRECTIVE.



5. (U) DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS IIR TO DHO-1 AT
STU III (703) 907-0541, OR GRAY 981-8236.

COLL: (U) AB; AC; AH; AI; DB; MM.
INSTR: (U) US NO.
PREP: (U) 6-03048.
ACQ: (U) CANADA, OTTAWA (20041112).
DISSEM: (U) FIELD: AMEMB OTTAWA.
WARNING: (U) REPORT CLASSIFIED
C O N F I D E N T I A L/NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS.

SIPDIS
DRV FROM: DO HUMINT SCG SEPTEMBER 2003
DECL ON: X1