In my view, the immediate priority is the requirement to invest in a modernized, renewed north warning system. That's where the major capability gap is right now. Along with that, due to the longer range air and sea launch cruise missile capabilities of Russia— and in the future, China and others—come issues surrounding our ability to detect, deter, and defend against this emerging threat. I say this not if the sense of our planning to fight a war with the Russians, but in terms of the political implications in our relationship, not only with Moscow, but also with out NATO allies and potential allies elsewhere in the world. That's the number one priority, which is going to be an extremely expensive investment. Not to be critical of the recent white paper, but it's something that is not in there, except for modernization. In trying to estimate cost, no one knows until you develop the system. That's the number one priority, in my view.
The second priority is likely in the area of missile defence. The question that has surrounded this issue since the 1960s is, what does it mean to participate? Regarding European participation, we don't really participate. We signed off on it, as all the NATO allies had to. We inserted in the Lisbon Declaration the phrase “European territories and populations”, so the government wouldn't look foolish in contradicting itself. I don't know, but perhaps Senator Day or David may have an answer to this, but I don't think there are any Canadian officers in Ramstein, the command and control centre for the European defence system. Most of the Europeans really don't participate in that system; it's an American system. There are issues surrounding the relationship.
For Canada, in terms of the future threat environment and why it's a priority for Canada along with the United States, the key thing is that North America needs to get ahead of this potential threat when it comes, otherwise it's going to be too late, if it emerges before we're ready. How do you defend that part of North America against emerging ballistic missile threats, not from Russia, but from the Middle East, and that will threaten Canada right now? How are we going to fill this other capability gap? That's the second priority, which requires discussions with the United States, and requires the simple answer to the most difficult question: what do you mean by participation and what do we get out of participation?