Joint press conference

Prime Minister Trudeau, Justin,

It is a great pleasure to be here in Ottawa and to meet with you. As you said. NATO was established by the Washington Treaty sixty-nine years ago today. So the 4th of April is an important date in the history of NATO. Since then, our Alliance has been a guarantor of peace. Providing security and preventing conflict. Because North America and Europe standstrong together. Canada was a founding member of the Alliance. And today, you continue to make vital contributions to our shared security.

Following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and aggressive actions in eastern Ukraine, NATO boosted its presence in the eastern part of the Alliance. And today, Canada leads our multinational battlegroup in Latvia. Your largest European deployment since the Cold War. When I visited the troops in Ādaži with Defence Minister Sajjan last year, I was impressed by their dedication. And by the fact that so many are serving so far from home to deter aggression and keep our Allies safe. Canadian jets have also patrolled the Black Sea region to support Romania. And Canadian ships boost NATO’s maritime presence from the North Sea to the Aegean Sea.

I also warmly welcome Canada’s decision to re-join our AWACS programme. We have flown these surveillance aircraft on NATO missions for more than thirty years. And today, we use them to support the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. Canada also makes important contributions to NATO’s partners:

• Your support for Ukraine helps boost its resilience.
• You are making a major financial contribution to the Afghan National Army Trust Fund.
• And just last month, I saw how your trainers in Iraq are helping the Iraqi forces better fight terrorism.

Justin, we both agree that gender equality is not just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do. So I also appreciate Canada’s work to keep gender issues high on the NATO agenda. And I am working closely with Clare Hutchinson from Nova Scotia, my new Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security.

And let me also commend Canada for investing more in defence. After years of decline, spending is now increasing.
And I welcome your commitment to further increases.

Today we had an excellent discussion on NATO’s adaptation, and our preparations for the Summit of Allied leaders in Brussels in July. Over the past few years, the world has become more unstable and unpredictable. And NATO has responded with determination. At the Summit in July, we will take the next steps. To further strengthen our deterrence and defence. Project stability and fight terrorism beyond our borders. And modernise our Alliance for the challenges of the 21st century.

Canada’s contributions to the transatlantic bond and to international security remain essential.

Just as they have been since NATO was founded on this day in 1949.

So once again, Prime Minister,

Thank you again for receiving me and my delegation.