By Karen Graham
Published September 19, 2021
Moving forward on the campaign trail. Source - Justin Trudeau @JustinTrudeau Officiel du gouvernement - Canada.
Justin Trudeau is facing harsh criticism from political rivals after Canada was excluded from a new international defense pact – just days before Monday’s federal election. Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States on Wednesday announced an agreement called Aukus.
The Aukus pact will see Australia being given the technology to build nuclear-powered submarines in an effort to counter China’s influence in the contested South China Sea. According to The BBC, France was informed of the alliance just a few hours before the public announcement was made.
And while the pact was “not intended to be adversarial” to China, according to the UK’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, the public outcry in Britain and in particular, France, a NATO ally, was not lost on Trudeau’s political rivals.
While Canada already shares intelligence with Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and New Zealand – an agreement called the Five Eyes – leaders of both the Conservative and New Democratic parties quickly criticized Trudeau for Canada’s exclusion from the pact, reports The Guardian.
“This is another example that Mr. Trudeau is not taken seriously by our friends and allies around the world,” the Conservative leader, Erin O’Toole, told reporters Thursday. “Canada is becoming more irrelevant under Mr. Trudeau.”
O’Toole said he would seek to join the new Indo-Pacific security arrangement if the Conservatives are elected
Andrew Sheer talks with Erin O’Toole about the ongoing NAFTA negotiations and how Canada’s Conservatives will stand up for Canadian workers in 2017. Source – Andrew Scheer
The New Democratic leader, Jagmeet Singh, also criticized Canada’s absence from the pact, claiming Trudeau was too distracted by the upcoming election to engage with Canada’s allies. Singh said that if Canada had become a member of Aukus, it could have put pressure on China to free the two jailed Canadians, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig.
“The pact seems like a potential avenue to add more pressure [on China]. Canada was absent. Another reason why this election should not have been called,” said Singh.
During the English language debate on September 9, while debating the two Michaels, O’Toole said, “Canada’s voice has been absent Mr. Trudeau. We should be leaders for our values, sir. You’ve let the Michaels down and we have to get serious with China.”
Trudeau fired back: “If you want to get the Michaels home, you do not simply lob tomatoes across the Pacific.”
Trudeau has downplayed the significance of Canada being left out of the pact, saying, “This is a deal for nuclear submarines, which Canada is not currently or any time soon in the market for. Australia is.”
The New Democratic leader, Jagmeet Singh, also criticized Canada’s absence from the pact, claiming Trudeau was too distracted by the upcoming election to engage with Canada’s allies. Singh said that if Canada had become a member of Aukus, it could have put pressure on China to free the two jailed Canadians, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig.
“The pact seems like a potential avenue to add more pressure [on China]. Canada was absent. Another reason why this election should not have been called,” said Singh.
During the English language debate on September 9, while debating the two Michaels, O’Toole said, “Canada’s voice has been absent Mr. Trudeau. We should be leaders for our values, sir. You’ve let the Michaels down and we have to get serious with China.”
Trudeau fired back: “If you want to get the Michaels home, you do not simply lob tomatoes across the Pacific.”
Trudeau has downplayed the significance of Canada being left out of the pact, saying, “This is a deal for nuclear submarines, which Canada is not currently or any time soon in the market for. Australia is.”
The nuclear-powered attack submarine, USS Albany (SSN 753) transits the Chesapeake Bay as it returns from a scheduled six-month deployment in 2004. Source – U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Steven J. Weber, Public Domain
The Aukus agreement disagreement
France was left out of the agreement and ended up losing out on a deal worth $37 billion (£27bn) that France had signed with Australia in 2016 to build 12 conventional diesel-powered submarines. And for France – this alleged snub is a very big deal.
This is why President Emmanuel Macron ordered the recall of the country’s ambassadors from the U.S. and Australia. Interestingly, Macron did not recall the ambassador from London.
As for Canada, it appears the country has been dragged into a disagreement it really has no interest in being involved in, especially when it comes to its allies.
Read more: https://www.digitaljournal.com/world/trudeau-faces-criticism-from-political-rivals-over-canadas-exclusion-from-the-aukus-pact/article#ixzz7706ny0PE
The Aukus agreement disagreement
France was left out of the agreement and ended up losing out on a deal worth $37 billion (£27bn) that France had signed with Australia in 2016 to build 12 conventional diesel-powered submarines. And for France – this alleged snub is a very big deal.
This is why President Emmanuel Macron ordered the recall of the country’s ambassadors from the U.S. and Australia. Interestingly, Macron did not recall the ambassador from London.
As for Canada, it appears the country has been dragged into a disagreement it really has no interest in being involved in, especially when it comes to its allies.
Read more: https://www.digitaljournal.com/world/trudeau-faces-criticism-from-political-rivals-over-canadas-exclusion-from-the-aukus-pact/article#ixzz7706ny0PE
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