Nothing to see here, Canada says of Five Eyes alliance despite absence from sub deal

Trudeau says partners continue to share security approaches, information

WASHINGTON — Nothing to see here, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau insisted Thursday after the United States and two other major Canadian allies unveiled a new intelligence-sharing agreement in the Indo-Pacific region — one that’s prompting questions about the future of the so-called Five Eyes alliance.

The Five Eyes — Canada, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. — is the colloquial name of a long-standing multilateral arrangement for keeping security tabs on a part of the world where China’s growing influence is being watched with apprehension around the globe.

That’s why the unexpected new bargain between the U.S., the U.K. and Australia, christened AUKUS, is raising eyebrows in foreign-policy circles internationally, as well as on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border. “We continue to be strong members of the Five Eyes, and continue to share information and security approaches with our partners,” Trudeau said during an election campaign stop in Montreal.

He characterized the new agreement as being mainly about a decision by Australia, increasingly nervous about Chinese ambition in its backyard, to acquire a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, scuttling long-standing negotiations to procure a submarine fleet from France.

“This is a deal for nuclear submarines, which Canada is not currently or any time soon in the market for; Australia is,” Trudeau said. “That is what we will continue to work alongside our partners to ensure — that we’re keeping ourselves safe, that we’re standing up against challenges, including those posed by China.”

Those challenges have become substantial in recent years, compromising Canada’s ability to frame its relationship with China as one rooted largely in mutually beneficial trade and economic growth, with a periodic shove on matters of human rights and security.

Former prime minister Stephen Harper struggled to walk that line in 2012 when he grudgingly approved a Chinese stateowned company’s takeover of Calgary-based oilsands giant Nexen Inc., while simultaneously unveiling stringent new foreign-ownership rules.

The Liberal government abandoned its pursuit of a trade deal with China, and has long hedged its bets on Huawei Inc., the Chinese tech monolith whose 5G network ambitions are seen by many around the world as a major national security threat. Of the Five Eyes partners, only Canada has stopped short of a ban.