Halifax International Security Forum to focus on future of democracy

National defence officials, diplomats and industry leaders from around the world will gather in Halifax this weekend for an annual three-day conference to discuss issues of international security, with a focus this year on the future of democracy.

Defence Minister David McGuinty will host the 17th annual Halifax International Security Forum, an event watched closely for its discussions among democratic allies about collective defence and global conflicts.

“Democracy has everything to do with international security,” Peter Van Praagh, president of the Halifax forum, said in a press conference.

“No democracy, no security.”

Among the invited participants are nine U.S. senators, whose bipartisan delegation will be led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top-ranking Democrat on the U.S. Senate foreign relations committee.

American lawmakers have continued to engage with Canada on issues of international security despite a breakdown in trade talks and harsh rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump.

During a defence-related investment announcement in Halifax on Friday morning ahead of the conference, McGuinty said there is “no daylight” between Canada and the U.S. on issues of defence and intelligence.

“We are sharing information (and) intelligence, we’re sharing equipment, purchasing equipment, we have integrated supply chains, we’re working together on different equipment. We’re in lockstep on so many fronts. That’s a positive and important thing for us going forward,” he told reporters.

Other invited delegates include and defence ministers from Sweden, the Netherlands, Latvia, Estonia and Colombia.

In a phone interview with Global News ahead of his participation in a Friday panel called “Democracies Don’t Despair,” Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson said it was important for democratic nations to show a collective resolve against aggressive actors like Russia.

He expected the war in Ukraine and broader European security to be a key topic of his panel and throughout the weekend.

“I would assume that the linchpin of the European security order will be discussed, and also what needs to be done in Europe when it comes to beefing up and strengthening the ability to deter and defend,” he said.

“We do take note that Russia keeps invading neighbouring countries, and has a great inclination to take political and military risks, and we are committed to deterring and defending every inch of allied territory.”

The forum comes as reports emerge of a new U.S.-backed peace proposal that foresees Ukraine handing over territory to Russia, reduces the size of it army and blocks its coveted path to NATO membership.

Jonson said Sweden and other NATO allies continue to press the case that Ukraine must be able to negotiate from a position of strength, which requires continued military support to beat back Russia on the battlefield.

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He said he will raise that point on Friday’s panel and with any officials he encounters on the sidelines of the forum — including the U.S. senators — if given the opportunity before he returns to Sweden later in the day.

“The basic assumption is that everybody wants peace. The Ukrainian people more than anyone else want peace,” he said.

“But there has to be a fair peace and there has to be a sustainable peace as well, because otherwise there is the risk that Russia will break such a peace agreement again and that it will once again do more aggression.”

Jonson’s warnings about Russia echo comments made by Kaspars Ozoliņš, Latvia’s ambassador to Canada, in an interview with Global News earlier this month.

“I’ve lived under the Soviet regime,” he said, describing the “influence of terror” that preceded Latvia’s independence in 1991.

“The Soviet regime was much milder than it is right now in Russia. And that scares me.”

Among the speakers and participants in the Halifax forum are Canada’s chief of defence staff, Gen. Jennie Carignan, Justice Minister Sean Fraser, secretary of state for defence procurement Stephen Fuhr, and former defence minister Bill Blair.

Planned sessions include talks on military technology and spending, China, Taiwan, cybersecurity and the future of NATO.