On July 15, for the first time as Minister of National Defence, the Honourable David McGuinty travelled to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) headquarters in Colorado, to attend the Transfer of Appointment Ceremony of the Deputy Commander.
While in Colorado Springs, Minister McGuinty met with the Commander of NORAD, General Gregory M. Guillot, to discuss strengthening North American security. He met with Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members who are based at NORAD, as well as attended a missile defence demonstration.
Minister McGuinty reiterated Canada's commitment to NORAD modernization, Arctic security, and initiatives such as Arctic Over the Horizon Radar (A-OTHR) and Integrated Air and Missile Defence.
Consistent with the Prime Minister's commitments to supporting NORAD and strengthening Canada's air and missile defences, Minister McGuinty also confirmed that the Government has removed all restrictions on air and missile defence of Canada. This will enable Canada to strengthen its defence capabilities and better deter and defend against threats to our country's sovereignty, population, and critical infrastructure.
Minister McGuinty also met with outgoing Deputy Commander, Lieutenant General (LGen) Blaise Frawley, and LGen Iain Huddleston, who has assumed the role of Deputy Commander of NORAD.
The Deputy Commander of NORAD is the most senior CAF officer in the command, also serving as the Commander of the Canadian Element NORAD, which includes all Canadian personnel assigned to NORAD across North America. NORAD is a bi-national United States-Canadian organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning and control, and maritime warning for North America. In this dual role, the Deputy Commander advises the Commander of NORAD on the management and employment of assigned forces, while also overseeing the command's planning processes and operational functions.
