{"id":6933,"date":"2013-06-12T14:30:26","date_gmt":"2013-06-12T04:30:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/?p=6933"},"modified":"2014-03-31T14:17:37","modified_gmt":"2014-03-31T03:17:37","slug":"australia-and-canada-the-kangamoose-wakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/australia-and-canada-the-kangamoose-wakes\/","title":{"rendered":"Australia and Canada: the kangamoose wakes"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a><\/figure>\n

Canada played an unexpectedly large role at this year\u2019s Shangri La dialogue, and in a way that shows the challenges of building closer defence ties in the region. Minister of National Defence Peter MacKay has attended the last three dialogues, each time bringing with him impressively senior teams of officials. MacKay\u2019s message on this occasion was unambiguous: Canada wants to be regarded as a player in Asia-Pacific security.<\/p>\n

In his speech<\/a> MacKay twice pitched the case for Ottawa to join the ASEAN Defence Minister Meeting Plus (ADMM+), the current eight \u2018plus countries being the US, China, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, India and Japan:<\/p>\n

The ADMM+, for instance, is becoming a locus for consultation \u2013 a gathering that fosters real trust and cooperation and one that Canada would very much like to join.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In answering a question<\/a> MacKay elaborated his thinking on Canada\u2019s interest:<\/p>\n

What I do see is the ADMM to a large degree replicating in this region the role that NATO plays for the Atlantic and bringing countries together around the table to have very detailed and dynamic discussions about the security of this region. That is why, as clearly stated, Canada wants to be a part, wants to be at that table, wants to be able to contribute.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In reality it would be hard to think of a forum less like NATO than ADMM, with or without the plus. The second ministerial level ADMM+ will take place in Brunei later this year. It was foreshadowed that a sixth expert working group\u2014on humanitarian mine action\u2014will be added to the list of intercessional activities. A maritime exercise involving around 2,000 personnel and seven ships from the 18 member countries will be held. But only a polite doting aunt could really believe that ADMM gatherings \u2018have very detailed and dynamic discussions\u2019 about anything. And the same kindly relative would presumably agree with Singapore Defence Minister Ng En Hen\u2019s description of the exercise<\/a> as ‘moving boldly’.<\/p>\n

In the absence of anything better, ADMM+ is great to have but NATO it isn’t. MacKay received the most polite rejection from Ng<\/a>:<\/p>\n

I welcome the interest of other countries in the ADMM+ mechanism, but it is with the view of this constant tension between having more representation and delivering effective outcomes that shapes our decisions.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Judged even by the minimal standards of the ADMM+, Canada isn’t yet seen to be offering the kind of effective outcomes ASEAN wants.<\/p>\n

This was the backdrop to a gathering after the Shangri La dialogue that ASPI hosted with our Canadian colleagues at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI). Together we’re working on a project<\/a> to explore and promote the ways that Canada and Australia can enhance their security cooperation and contribute to more stable regional security environments and governance mechanisms in the Asia-Pacific region. Our efforts will culminate in a joint piece of work early in 2014. The Singapore gathering was an initial exploration of the issues. To my mind four questions emerged as key discussion points\u2014these were the \u2018Kangamoose\u2019 in the room\u2014a rather alarming creature whose characteristics need to be addressed:<\/p>\n