CANADA: (1/5) 220TH MEETING OF THE U.S.-CANADA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 002024 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2017 TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS NORAD CA SUBJECT: CANADA: (1/5) 220TH MEETING OF THE U.S.-CANADA PERMANENT JOINT BOARD ON DEFENSE - OVERVIEW AND RECORD OF DECISION Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard. reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) Summary: U.S. Co-Chairman George Nethercutt and Canadian Co-Chairman Rick Casson, M.P. convened the 220th meeting of the U.S.-Canadian Permanent Joint Board on Defense (PJBD) at the Canadian Maritime Warfare Center in Halifax, Nova Scotia October 9 - 11, 2007. Major topics during the 220th PJBD included: a decision to ask President Bush and Prime Minister Harper to endorse jointly a "visions and principles" statement outlining future defense and security cooperation; red-lines as to talks underway to define future tri-command relations among USNORTHCOM, CANADACOM, and NORAD; and, collaborative efforts in the Western Hemisphere. Board members and observers included representatives of Defense, State, Homeland Security, and the NSC and their Canadian equivalents (see list para 7). This summary telegram is the first in a series of five messages documenting the PJBD's deliberations, and contains the co-chairs' opening overviews and remarks as well as the PJBD official Record of Decision. End summary. -------------- Overview/Remarks -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Host Co-Chairman Casson began the meeting by recalling Prime Minister Harper's request that the Board have a "strategic, forward looking" approach to continental defense and security, and pledging that he (Casson) would do so, in part by working to improve the development of future PJBD agendas. ¶3. (C) U.S. Co-Chairman Nethercutt remarked that the PJBD had since its founding in 1940 helped Canada and the United States develop a shared understanding of major threats and to facilitate cooperative responses, to include those occasions when the two governments differed on how to address such threats. He called upon the PJBD to emerge from its 220th meeting with "useful, action-oriented" decisions on areas of cooperation, including "Ship Rider" joint patrols on boundary waters, future architecture among the CANUS Tri-Commands, and how to engage Mexico on continental defense and security. ¶4. (C) By the end of the meeting, Mr. Nethercutt and Mr. Casson expressed satisfaction with the PJBD's work, together highlighting the following accomplishments: -- the nearly-completed Canada-U.S. Vision and Principles document, and the PJBD's recommendation for its signing at a high-level event commemorating the 50th anniversary of NORAD in May 2008, or another suitable occasion; -- Canadian political (and capability) red-lines as the two governments evolve the Tri-Command relationships among NORAD, U.S. Northern Command, and Canada Command; -- the remarkable alignment of U.S. and Canadian strategies to bolster democracy, development, and collaborative engagement in Mexico and Latin America; and, -- the advisability of regularizing CANUS Ship Rider operations. ¶5. (C) Co-Chairman Casson -- who chairs the Standing Committee on National Defence in the Canadian House of Commons -- also wondered aloud at the end of the meeting if Canada and the United States should revisit Continental QCanada and the United States should revisit Continental Missile Defense at the next meeting of the PJBD. -------------- Record of Decision -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The PJBD's official Record of Decision: Begin text - Vision and Principles: The Board agreed the Vision and Principles document would provide a valuable foundation for the Canada - United States defence and security relationship. The Board discussed how the document might best be deployed by their respective Governments. The Board agreed to seek OTTAWA 00002024 002 OF 002 approval of the Vision and Principles document at the Minister/Cabinet Secretary level, with the intent of recommending a Prime Ministerial/Presidential Joint Declaration on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of NORAD in May, 2008, or other suitably identified occasion. - Tri Command Study on the Evolution of Canada Command NORAD, and NORTHCOM Roles, Missions and Responsibilities: The Board was briefed on the Tri-Command study. The study will explore ways to improve overall mission effectiveness and efficiency among Canada Command, NORAD and NORTHCOM. It will provide the Chief of the Defence Staff of Canada and the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff of the United States with a range of options for future command relationships of the three commands, with the intent of enhancing North American defence and security. The Board will expect an interim report at its next meeting. - Olympics: The Board received a joint brief by Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP),the lead agency on Olympic security, and Canada Command on security preparations for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. The Board noted progress being made in addressing the security challenges of the Winter Olympics. The Board requests a future update on the preparation for the Olympics, to include issues of mutual support. - Western Hemisphere: The Board had a broad discussion on western Hemisphere issues, including Canada's new Strategy for the Hemisphere, Secretary of Defense Gates' visit to Latin America, and each country's engagement with Mexico. Both countries recognized their shared values will drive their respective approaches and agreed to pursue these discussions among the various departments and agencies, to exchange ideas and best practices, with a view to identifying opportunities for collaboration. The Board agreed to continue discussions of this issue at its next meeting. - Next Steps: The Board agreed to retain a strategic focus to its discussions and that the two sides would work together prior to the next meeting of the PJBD to assess progress on issues discussed and to help develop an action-oriented, forward-looking agenda. end text -------------- Participants -------------- ¶7. (U) A list of both PJBD delegations follows: United States -------------- Mr. George Nethercutt, Co-Chairman Major General Philip Breedlove, DOD J-5 Mr. Stephen Johnson, DOD, DASD Policy Mr. Edward Alex Lee, State, Director WHA/CAN Mr. Richard Miles, NSC, Director for North America Brig. General Chris Miller, DOD, USNORTHCOM Rear Admiral Daniel Lloyd, DHS, US Coast Guard Commander Brian Devany, DOD, J-5 (Military Secretary) Mr. Eric Lundberg, State, WHA/CAN (Political Secretary) Canada -------------- Mr. Rick Casson, M.P., Co-Chairman Maj. General Chris Davis, National Defense, Military Policy Colonel Al Stephenson, National Defence, Defence Policy Mr. Donald Sinclair, Foreign Affairs, DG START Brig. General Charles Sullivan, Privy Council Brig. General Jocelyn Lacroix, CANADACOM Lt. General Charles Bouchard, NORAD Mr. Peter Hill, Public Safety, DG Emergency Planning QMr. Peter Hill, Public Safety, DG Emergency Planning Commander Pat Deschenes, DND (Military Secretary) Mr. Victor Rakmil, DFAIT (Political Secretary) End list Visit our shared North American Partnership blog (Canada & Mexico) at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap WILKINS