Canada, Australia Bolster Military Collaboration Amid Global Instability

Canada's Minister of National Defence Bill Blair (L), and Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles hold a meeting at HMCS Discovery, a Royal Canadian Navy Reserve division, in Vancouver on Aug. 8, 2024. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

Canadian and Australian defence ministers are strengthening the two countries’ partnership amid what they call escalating global insecurity not seen since World II, driven by challenges such as China’s military buildup and ongoing conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Defence Minister Bill Blair met with his Australian counterpart Richard Marles in Vancouver on Aug. 8 to explore ways to enhance defence collaboration, including in military operations, cybersecurity, and security research.

“Canada and Australia are both Pacific nations, and the security of the Indo-Pacific is crucial for the security of both of our nations, and today, that security is being challenged in a number of significant and difficult ways,” Blair said at a press conference.

“China is pursuing the most ambitious military buildup of any nation since the Second World War, and it’s looking to reshape the international system to advance its own interests,” he added, pointing to China’s aggressive behaviours such as increasing military activities and use of force to obstruct freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea.

Blair also noted growing security challenges in the Arctic region, including but not limited to threats from Russia and China.

‘Preparing to Avoid War’

Blair said the allied countries are “preparing to avoid war” when asked if the strengthened collaboration signals a looming war.

Marles also confirmed that the cooperation is aimed at deterring aggression and avoiding conflict.

He said the rules-based international order—where countries solve their differences without using force—is under more pressure now than at any time since the end of World War II, pointing to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as instability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Marles, who is also Australia’s deputy prime minister, cited Russia’s alliance with China on the eve of invading Ukraine as a clear example of the growing interconnectedness of global conflict zones.

“What’s become manifestly clear is that theatres are becoming interconnected,” he said. “What happens in the Indo-Pacific is relevant to what’s happening in the North Atlantic and in Europe.”  

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the countries condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s coercive actions in the South China Sea, and North Korea’s ballistic missile testing and cyber threats.

Increasing Presence

In response to growing threats in the Indo-Pacific, Blair said Canada has deployed warships to the region for the second consecutive year. This increased presence also enables Canadian sailors to take part in more military exercises with key partners like Australia.

The minister noted that Canada recently participated in RIMPAC, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise in Hawaii, which is known as the world’s largest maritime exercise. In September, hundreds of Canadian Forces members will join the Royal Australian Navy-led Exercise Kakadu, where they will train for various scenarios, including maritime warfare.

Blair acknowledged the need to upgrade Canada’s naval fleet. He outlined plans for investing in the Canadian Navy, including the replacement of aging vessels with six new Arctic offshore patrol ships and the construction of 15 new surface combatant ships to replace the existing Halifax fleet.