Canadian Forces hosts major military conference with U.S. amid trade tensions

Canada's military is hosting a major international defence conference this week in Victoria even as relations with the United States have hit a new low over tariffs and trade disputes.

Gen. Jennie Carignan, Canada's Chief of the Defence Staff, and Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, Commander of U.S. Pacific Command, are presiding over the 28th annual Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense conference starting Sunday, Aug. 31. A total of 32 nations have been invited, bringing senior military leaders from across the Indo-Pacific region.

The timing is notable. President Donald Trump has hit Canada with major tariffs, prompting Prime Minister Mark Carney to respond with penalties on certain U.S. goods. Trump has threatened to annex Canada, and his administration has criticized the country's military capability. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called Canada "foolish" for entering a trade war and falsely claimed Canada has no military. The White House posted an image on social media showing a bald eagle pinning a Canada goose, a message suggesting American dominance.

Yet Defence Minister David McGuinty said in July that on security, intelligence and defence matters, there is "really little daylight" between Canada and the U.S. "We trust each other. We work together. That will not stop in my view," he said.

China is sending more than a dozen officers led by Gen. Yang Zhibin, commander of its Eastern Theatre forces. NATO will be represented by Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chair of the alliance's Military Committee. The conference runs until Sept. 2 under the theme "Strengthening Collective Security: Navigating Challenges in a Dynamic Indo-Pacific Landscape." Security will be tight, with media access limited to a joint press conference and a few panels; most work will happen in closed-door military-to-military meetings.