NEWS RELEASE

Canadian Parliamentarians meet with the NATO Secretary General and key officials in Brussels

From 19 to 21 February 2024, Julie Dzerowicz, MP, Chair of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association, led a delegation to Brussels, Belgium. The other delegates were Senators Claude Carignan, Brent Cotter, Clément Gignac and Rebecca Patterson, and MPs Cheryl Gallant, Darren Fisher, Patricia Lattanzio, Christine Normandin and Alex Ruff.

The Canadian delegation attended the 2024 Joint Meetings of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s Defence and Security, Economics and Security, and Political Committees. The Joint Meetings provide a forum for parliamentarians to receive updates and to discuss key defence and security issues facing the Alliance.

These meetings were held at an important time. This year will mark NATO’s 75^th anniversary.

Canadian delegates heard from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, senior civil servants and military personnel from NATO headquarters, senior officials from the European Union (EU), and various representatives to NATO. Among other topics, discussions addressed:

• Allied support for Ukraine;

• NATO’s military adaptation and implementation of its defence regional plans;

• Allied efforts to counter disinformation from Russia and other actors;

• NATO’s cooperation with like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific region;

• burden sharing within the Alliance in relation to NATO’s 2% commitment on defence spending;

• NATO’s nuclear capabilities and deterrence;

• NATO’s Eastern Flank and Southern Neighbourhood; and

• key priorities for NATO’s July 2024 summit in Washington D.C.

NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg emphasized that the PA “provides an essential link between the Alliance and its democratic institutions, helping to foster awareness and understanding of NATO’s policies.” The Secretary General also drew attention to the role that parliamentarians from NATO countries – including Canada – can play in “implementing the decisions taken at the [2023] NATO Summit in Vilnius,” as well as ensuring “substantial” support to Ukraine as the war reaches its two-year mark. NATO PA President Michal Szczerba remarked that, “It is our duty, as parliamentarians, to ensure our societies understand that security is at the heart of our prosperity.”

While in Brussels, the Canadian Delegation met with Canada’s Military Representative to NATO, Vice-Admiral Scott Bishop, and Canada’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council, Mark Richardson. They discussed Canada’s priorities for NATO. The delegation also met with Canada’s Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg, Alain Gendron, to discuss bilateral relations.

Moreover, prior to the conclusion of their visit, the Canadian Delegation discussed NATO’s implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda with Irene Fellin, the NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative on WPS.

Finally, as an ex-officio NATO PA Vice-President, MP Dzerowicz participated in the work of the NATO PA’s Bureau. As well, MP Dzerowicz met with Georgian parliamentarians at a meeting of the Georgia-NATO Interparliamentary Council to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern for NATO and Georgia.

-30-

To learn more, follow us on our X account:

X: @ParlDiplomacy
Hashtag: #CANA

For further information:
Julie Dzerowicz, MP
Chair of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association
+1 613 992 2576

Céline Ethier
Association Secretary
Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association
CANA@parl.gc.ca