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HOUSE OF COMMONS - OTTAWA
Oral Question
March 1st, 2002
Mr. Svend Robinson (Burnaby--Douglas, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence. Last month at a conference in Ottawa, Canadian Lieutenant General George Macdonald stated that if
Greenland would not co-operate with the United States in its proposed national missile defence system, that Canada would consider offering the U.S. use of Canadian bases in the north to support the NMD.
Will the minister now tell Canadians precisely what discussions have taken place to date with the United States on the possible use of Canadian territory as part of the U.S. national missile defence system?
Hon. Art Eggleton (Minister of National Defence, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, none with respect to the use of Canadian territory. We have not been asked in that regard. Nothing is really new from the last time the member and other members asked the question. The United States has indicated determination to put such a system in place. The architecture of the system is yet to be determined. What role Canada would play, if it wanted to play any, has yet to be determined. We have not been asked. We have not made any decision with respect to the matter.
Mr. Svend Robinson (Burnaby--Douglas, NDP): Mr. Speaker, my supplementary question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs who knows that Canadians do not want our country to participate in this U.S. star wars scheme that will lead to a dangerous escalation of the nuclear arms race. Will our government finally get off the fence, stop saying that missile defence is hypothetical, even though the ABM treaty has been torn up, and tell Americans that not one inch of Canadian territory will be made available to them for this dangerous new NMD system? If Greenland can say no, why can Canada not say no?
Hon. Bill Graham (Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, in this as in other matters, the government will ensure that the security of Canadians comes first in our consideration. We will ensure that we discuss with our American allies ways in which we guarantee our security and our interests. We will not enter into an arrangement that is for them. We will enter into arrangements that are good for us. As the minister of defence has said, we have not been asked, but when we are, we will study it from our perspective, our requirements, our needs and our interests.
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