Golbal Vortex

CANADIAN FORCES COLLEGE / COLLÈGE DES FORCES CANADIENNES

CSC 32 / CCEM 32

EXERCISE / EXERCICE GLOBAL VORTEX

THE UNITED STATES BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENCE PROGRAM:

A GOOD DECISION BY THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT

NOT TO PARTICIPATE

By / par Major J.R. Jensen

Syndicate 9 / Groupe d’études 9

28 Sep 2005 / 28 sep 2005

This paper was written by a student attending the Canadian Forces College in fulfilment of

one of the requirements of the Course of Studies. The paper is a scholastic document, and thus contains facts and opinions which the author alone considered appropriate and correct for the subject. It does not necessarily reflect the policy or the opinion of any agency, including the Government of Canada and the Canadian Department of National Defence. This paper may not be released, quoted or copied except with the express permission of the Canadian Department of National Defence.

La présente étude a été rédigée par un stagiaire du Collège des Forces canadiennes pour satisfaire à l'une des exigences du cours. L'étude est un document qui se rapporte au cours et contient donc des faits et des opinions que seul l'auteur considère appropriés et convenables au sujet. Elle ne reflète pas nécessairement la politique ou l'opinion d'un organisme quelconque, y compris le gouvernement du Canada et le ministère de la Défense nationale du Canada. Il est défendu de diffuser, de citer ou de reproduire cette étude sans la permission expresse du ministère de la Défense nationale.

INTRODUCTION

Over the past year and a half Canada has been involved in several discussions with the United States (US) focused on the subject of the ballistic missile defence (BMD) program. It has been a controversial subject within Canada, however, by a slim margin there appeared to be more opposition “a new poll… suggests that 54 percent of Canadians oppose participation,”[1] in the program. The Prime Minister (PM) of Canada, Mr. Paul Martin, had also seen the recent...