Canada has expressed interest in joining the second pillar of the AUKUS alliance, focusing on collaboration in cutting-edge military technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair confirmed ongoing discussions about expanding the AUKUS deal, initially formed by the US, UK, and Australia to counter China’s growing military influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Blair, speaking during an interview in Tokyo, where he met with his Japanese counterpart Minoru Kihara, stated that Canada is eager to participate in specific projects within AUKUS. Although details of the talks have not been disclosed, Blair remains optimistic about Canada’s potential involvement.
AUKUS, which stands for Australia, United Kingdom, and United States, currently focuses on developing nuclear submarine technology for Australia. However, discussions are underway to include countries like Japan and Canada in broader collaborative efforts. Japan is already in talks about a role in AUKUS, and South Korea is also exploring a potential partnership.
During his visit to Japan, Blair emphasized Canada’s growing security interests in Asia, particularly in strengthening ties with Japan and South Korea. As part of its expanding defence commitments both domestically and abroad, Canada is significantly increasing its military spending, with a 27% rise in next year’s defence budget and plans to triple spending in the next three to four years.
Blair and Kihara also discussed the rising number of Chinese military incursions into Japanese territory, an issue that has raised concerns in Tokyo and prompted official protests to Beijing. These concerns are likely to be addressed at the upcoming Group of Seven (G7) defence ministers’ meeting in Italy next month.
