Defence Minister Anita Anand participated in the 13th annual edition of the Halifax International Security Forum (HISF), hosted by the President of HISF Inc. Mr. Peter Van Praagh, which took place from November 19 to 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Forum brought together participants from over 80 countries, including defence ministers, senior officials from international organizations, representatives from academia and industry, and defence and security experts, who discussed pressing global security challenges.
In an unpredictable world, Canada is committed to working together with its allies and partners to protect global peace, stability, and freedom. We must understand the constantly evolving environment so that we can anticipate, adapt, and act in the face of current and emerging threats.
During the Forum, Minister Anand affirmed that culture change in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is her top priority, and underscored Canada's commitment to its military, through the implementation of the Government of Canada's defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged. The Minister emphasized that Canada will continue to tackle threats at home and abroad, including malicious cyber activity, climate change, and acts of aggression from nations that seek to challenge the rules-based international order.
While in Halifax, Minister Anand met with the Premier of Nova Scotia, Tim Houston who welcomed her back to the province where she grew up. The Minister met with the delegation of the Republic of Kosovo led by President, Dr. Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, where they reaffirmed Canada and Kosovo's shared values and positive defence relationship. On behalf of the CAF, the Minister accepted the Presidential Military Medal from the President of Kosovo as a token of Kosovo's appreciation of Canada's contributions. Minister Anand also spoke with the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral John C. Aquilino, to discuss our shared security interests in the Indo-Pacific. The Minister, along with Acting Chief of the Defence Staff, General Wayne Eyre spoke with Kirsten Hillman, Canada's Ambassador to the United States, where they underlined the value of defence integration between Canada and the United States to support interoperability of our armed forces.
Ambassador Hillman introduced Minister Anand to members of the U.S. bipartisan congressional delegation, led by co-chairs Senators Jeanne Shaheen and James Risch. Together, they discussed the importance of the Canada-U.S. defence and security partnership. 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. The Minister also met with the Ukrainian delegation to reinforce the importance of Canada and Ukraine's bilateral defence relationship and underscore Canada's commitment to the security of Ukraine through Operation UNIFIER.
Quotes
"Canada's path forward is clear. We will continue to be a reliable partner to our friends and allies, working in support of our highest values - democracy, freedom, and human rights with the goal of bringing to life our shared vision of a better future. In a world that feels increasingly unpredictable and overwhelming, the Halifax International Security Forum has never been more valuable in emphasizing the need for strengthened strategic cooperation among democracies."
The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence
Quick facts
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The Halifax International Security Forum connected more than 300 defence and security leaders from across the world, including senior government and military officials, policymakers, opinion leaders, academics, and members of the business community from like-minded nations.
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Discussions at this year's Forum included challenges from the past and future for democracies, the importance of multilateral institutions like the United Nations and NATO, the great power competition, and direct challenges to the rules-based international order among many other topics.
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The CAF is committed to reflecting the Canadian ideals of diversity, respect and inclusion, including striving for gender equality, and building a workforce that leverages the diversity and multicultural fabric of Canadian society.
