Re: “Under policy, U.S. would not defend Canada from missile attack: general,” Sept. 15.
Lt.-Gen. Pierre St.-Amand, deputy commander of NORAD, told Parliamentarians last week that his American colleagues have been whispering in his ear that the United States policy “is not to defend Canada” in case of a missile attack.
Perhaps the good general can lend his colleagues at NORAD headquarters in Colorado Springs a copy of Article 5 of the NATO Agreement, which deals with “collective defence.” It states:
“The parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the party or parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.”
The general should suggest that his colleagues reread this chapter, and while doing so, he might wish to remind them that the last time it was invoked was on Sept. 11, 2001.
Senator Colin Kenny
Ottawa
