Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07OTTAWA2024
2007-11-02 19:17:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ottawa
Cable title:  

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

Tags:  PREL MARR MOPS NORAD CA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6903
PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #2024/01 3061917
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 021917Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6837
INFO RULSJGA/USCG WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0825
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR NORAD PETERSON AFB CO PRIORITY
RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USNORTHCOM PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 1761
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)

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

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WILKINS