
The Institute for Peace and Diplomacy hosted a panel discussion titled “Defending North America After Putin’s War in Ukraine” on Wednesday, April 27, 2022.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has seemingly reinvigorated the collective West and the transatlantic alliance. However, questions linger over whether Europeans will need to bear the brunt of managing a prolonged confrontation with Russia, in order to allow the US to focus more on addressing regional security issues in Asia.
A debate has also been sparked over whether Canada should prepare for a more dangerous world by contributing more to European security through NATO, or whether Ottawa should direct its attention instead toward defending the North American continent. The suspension of cooperation in the Arctic Council and the resulting potential increase in geopolitical tensions in the world’s circumpolar region renders this question even more germane. How should Canadians think about issues of North American continental defence in an era marked both by renewed war in Europe and a rising China?
Panelists:
- Major General Iain Huddleston: Chief of Staff, Canadian Joint Operations Command HQ, Royal Canadian Air Force
- P. Whitney Lackenbauer: Professor & Canada Research Chair, Trent University; Leader, North American & Arctic Defence & Security Network
- Robert Huebert: Associate Professor & Fellow, Centre for Military & Strategic Studies, University of Calgary
Moderator:
- Zachary Paikin: Research Fellow, Institute for Peace & Diplomacy; Researcher, Centre for European Policy Studies