Apr 9, 2022 | International
Ottawa, ON – The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board will join Their Excellencies the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, and Mr. Whit Fraser, and Algonquin Elder Albert Dumont, in a ceremony to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.
Ottawa, ON – The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board will join Their Excellencies the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, and Mr. Whit Fraser, and Algonquin Elder Albert Dumont, in a ceremony to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.
Elder Albert Dumont will open the ceremony with a prayer and smudging of the National War Memorial.
Location: National War Memorial
30 Wellington St.
Ottawa, ON
Date: Saturday, April 9, 2022
Time: 11:00 EDT
If you anticipate any accessibility barriers, please let us know and we will work with you to enable your participation.
Media and guests are asked to respect physical distancing guidelines from the local health authority. Wearing masks is strongly encouraged especially when it is not possible to maintain physical distance.
John Embury
Director, Communications
Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs
john.embury@veterans.gc.ca
Feb 28, 2022 | International
The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, will hold a media availability to announce additional support for Ukraine.
February 27, 2022 – The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, will hold a media availability to announce additional support for Ukraine.
Date: Sunday, February 27, 2022
Time: 3pm EST- Ottawa
Notes for media:
Participation in the question and answer portion of this event is for accredited members of the Canadian Parliamentary Press Gallery only. Media who are not members of the Press Gallery may contact pierre.cuguen@parl.gc.ca to request temporary access. A teleconference line is also available for media who wish to listen to the event:
Dial-in numbers (listen-only):
Local: 613-954-9003
Toll-free: 1-866-206-0153 (Toll free dial-in number for Canada/US)
Passcode: 6038805#
Maeva Proteau
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Feb 21, 2022 | International
The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, today concluded a successful trip to Europe, where they attended the 58th Munich Security Conference to discuss the world’s most pressing security challenges.
February 20, 2022 – Munich, Germany – Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, today concluded a successful trip to Europe, where they attended the 58th Munich Security Conference to discuss the world’s most pressing security challenges.
The ministers continued ongoing discussions with their counterparts on the situation in and around Ukraine, including Russia’s aggressive and dangerous actions that threaten the security and stability of Ukraine and undermine the rules-based international order. In particular, Minister Joly met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, where she reinforced Canada’s unwavering support to the Alliance and the transatlantic bond. She also met with G7 foreign ministers, to discuss Ukrainian and European security, and with her counterparts from Armenia, Finland, Italy, Lithuania, Qatar, Romania and the United Kingdom.
Minister Anand met with Ukraine’s Minister of Defence, Oleksii Reznikov, and discussed the comprehensive aid that Canada is providing to Ukraine to help the country defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. This includes lethal military aid donated by Canada to Ukraine, which arrived in Ukraine on February 19. She also met with her counterparts from Georgia, Germany, Finland, Portugal, Singapore and Sweden.
The principles that underlie Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence cannot be compromised. Canada, its allies and partners have made it clear that there will be grave consequences, including severe sanctions, if Russia takes any military action against Ukraine.
While at the conference, Minister Joly participated in a panel with Bill Gates, Ann Linde, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, and Comfort Ero, President and CEO of the International Crisis Group, where they discussed next steps in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and being better prepared for similar future challenges. Minister Joly highlighted Canada’s commitment to working with multilateral institutions to ensure an inclusive recovery, and identified disinformation as a real and present danger that impedes understanding of the virus and the vaccine.
Minister Anand, for her part, participated in a working dinner co-hosted by NATO and the International Military Council on Climate and Security. At the dinner, the minister highlighted Canada’s commitment to climate action and discussed Canada’s intent to establish and host a NATO Centre of Excellence on Climate and Security. She also raised strategic challenges facing the security sector as it works to adapt to the effects of climate change. Minister Anand also participated in a working breakfast hosted by the Cohen Group, where, alongside Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and former U.S. secretary of defense James Mattis, she reiterated Canada’s strong commitment to the NATO Alliance and rules-based international order in the face of current threats.
Canada remains committed to supporting its allies and partners, safeguarding global stability and developing collaborative solutions to security challenges. In these challenging times, multilateral forums such as the Munich Security Conference provide a global platform for discussions on current and future security challenges as well as opportunities to deepen diplomatic ties and promote transatlantic cooperation in support of the rules-based international order.
“Canada’s position on the Ukraine and Russia crisis has not wavered: we stand united with our allies and partners and are committed to the transatlantic bond. I have been engaging my counterparts over the last several weeks as we work together to find a diplomatic solution to this crisis. But let me be clear: we will take coordinated action against those who threaten the rules-based international order and are firm that there will be severe consequences if any Russian military action is taken against Ukraine.”
– The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs
“We cannot take peace, security and stability for granted. At a time when the rules-based international order is being challenged, it is more important than ever that Canada work with its allies and partners to uphold the system that has kept us safe for over seven decades. At the Munich Security Conference, I had productive conversations with my international counterparts, and we will remain in close contact as our countries work together to ensure Euro-Atlantic and global security.”
– The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence
Daniel Minden
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-3100
Daniel.Minden@forces.gc.ca
Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-904-3333
mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca
Feb 4, 2022 | International
Today, Defence Minister Anita Anand concluded a weeklong trip to Europe, wherein she met with key Allies and partners in Ukraine, at NATO Headquarters, and in Latvia.
February 3, 2022 – Riga, Latvia – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
Today, Defence Minister Anita Anand concluded a weeklong trip to Europe, wherein she met with key Allies and partners in Ukraine, at NATO Headquarters, and in Latvia.
During her visit to Ukraine, Minister Anand emphasized Canada’s support for the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security. She met with Ukraine’s Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksiy Danilov, and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Denys Monastyrsky, and visited with Canadian Armed Forces personnel deployed on the Operation UNIFIER training mission. Minister Anand also visited the PS752 Memorial, the Holomodor Memorial and the Memorial Wall to pay her respects on behalf of Canada.
On February 1st, Minister Anand met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. During the meeting, they discussed the security threat faced by Ukraine, as well as Canada’s recent announcement of a three-year extension and expansion of Operation UNIFIER. During the meeting, Minister Anand and Secretary General Stoltenberg also discussed:
Priorities for the upcoming NATO Defence Ministers’ Meeting later this month;
Ways to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defence posture;
Canada’s ongoing work to establish and host a NATO Centre of Excellence on Climate and Security; and
Canada’s commitment to the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
While in Latvia on the final stage of her trip, Minister Anand met with Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš, as well as Dr. Artis Pabriks, Latvia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence. They discussed Canada’s concerns with recent Russian activities and emphasized the importance of continued collaboration among NATO Allies to address transatlantic security challenges. Prime Minister Kariņš thanked Canada for its leadership role as the Framework Nation for the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group Latvia, where Canada is contributing to assurance and deterrence measures alongside NATO Allies.
On the final day of her trip, the Minister – joined by the Commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command, Vice-Admiral Bob Auchterlonie – also visited Canadian troops deployed to Latvia and personally thanked them for their continued efforts to maintain security and stability in the region. She underscored how Canada’s continued presence in Latvia demonstrates its strong commitment to supporting NATO’s deterrence and defence efforts, which are critical to global security and the rules-based international order.
NATO is a cornerstone of Canada’s international security policy. Canada believes in and steadfastly supports NATO’s principle of collective defence and is providing direct support to NATO missions and operations
Currently, Canada is:
Leading the multinational NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Latvia;
Periodically deploying CF-18 fighter aircraft to conduct surveillance and air policing activities in Europe;
Providing a Halifax-class frigate on a persistent, rotational basis to a Standing NATO Maritime Group, in support of maritime operations and to conduct deterrence and assurance activities. HMCS Montreal is currently deployed with Standing NATO Maritime Group Two.
Commodore Bradley Peats of the Royal Canadian Navy commanded Standing NATO Maritime Group One from January 2021 to January 2022.
Supporting training and capacity-building efforts in the Middle East under Operation IMPACT, including through NATO Mission Iraq; and
Deploying personnel to NATO’s Kosovo Force
As part of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence, Canada has assumed a leadership role as one of four Framework Nations and is leading a robust multinational NATO battle group in Latvia. Canada’s contribution of up to 540 personnel, vehicles and equipment includes a headquarters element, a mechanized infantry company, and combat service support based at Camp Ādaži.
The extension and expansion in scope of Operation UNIFIER, announced on January 26, 2022, contributes to a whole-of-government effort to support Ukraine alongside the diplomatic efforts of Global Affairs Canada to deter and de-escalate Russia’s ongoing aggressive and destabilizing activities in and around Ukraine.
The recent extension and expansion of Canada’s military presence in support of Ukraine will ensure that members of the CAF will continue to provide enhanced military training and mentorship to Ukraine’s security forces through to the end of March 2025.
The expanded training mission includes an initial deployment of 60 additional troops, depending on need, building to a rotational deployment that can surge up to 400 CAF personnel.
Daniel Minden
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-3100
Email: Daniel.Minden@forces.gc.ca
Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-904-3333
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca
Nov 21, 2021 | International
Halifax, Nova Scotia – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
The Minister of National Defence, Anita Anand, held several bilateral meetings at the 13th annual edition of the Halifax International Security Forum (HISF) on November 19 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Yesterday morning, Minister Anand met with the delegation of the Republic of Kosovo – led by President of the Republic of Kosovo, Dr. Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, and including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Donika Gërvalla, as well as Minister of Defence, Armend Mehaj. President Osmani-Sadriu and Minister Anand reflected on Canada and Kosovo’s long-standing, positive and productive defence relationship, and reaffirmed Canada and Kosovo’s shared values and commitment to the rules-based international order. The discussion touched on progress that Kosovo has made to date towards increased Euro-Atlantic integration, the importance of promoting the broader security and stability of the Western Balkans, and opportunities for increased areas of defence cooperation through military training and education.
General Wayne Eyre, the Acting Chief of Defence Staff met with Admiral John C. Aquilino, Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command to discuss our shared security interests in the Indo-Pacific. The Minister of National Defence joined the discussion where both countries highlighted the importance of maintaining the rules-based international order and continuing to work together in Indo-Pacific to maintain these shared values.
Minister Anand, along with General Eyre, met with Kirsten Hillman, the Canadian Ambassador to the United States, to discuss the importance of the United States as Canada’s most valued ally and defence partner. They touched on the value of defence integration between Canada and the United States to support the interoperability between our armed forces, and the importance of integration to both continental defence and operations abroad.
Daniel Minden
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-3100
Email: daniel.minden@forces.gc.ca
Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-904-3333
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca
