OTTAWA — Canada is in consultations with the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia about possible collaboration with the security pact known as AUKUS.
The trilateral agreement was struck three years ago with the aim of strengthening security in the Indo-Pacific region by building a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines for Australia.
Some Canadian military leaders have expressed dismay at seeing Canada excluded from the deal as they have pressed the government to commit to replacing the Victoria-class submarine fleet.
The second pillar of AUKUS is indeed focused on military interoperability and advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence.
In a joint statement, the three countries said they are already working with Japan on priorities for this second pillar and will now consult with Canada, South Korea and New Zealand on ways to get involved.
Canada’s Department of National Defence recently issued a request for information as it works to acquire a new fleet of conventionally powered submarines, as part of its new defence policy, which is heavily focused on the Arctic.
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