The Conservative Party of Canada is issuing a stark warning to Prime Minister Mark Carney, urging him to immediately halt any moves toward expanded military cooperation with Communist China. This forceful rejection comes amid alarming reports that Canadian and Chinese defense officials have reignited military coordination talks, a dangerous proposition that conservatives argue exposes Canada to unacceptable peril and undermines national security.

Tory defense critic James Bezan and foreign affairs critic Eric Duncan minced no words in a Sept. 9 letter to Carney. They unequivocally demanded that the Prime Minister reject any "strategic partnership" with Beijing and steer clear of closer military ties. This urgent call to action follows reports confirming that Canadian and Chinese defense officials met on September 4 to discuss military coordination, a move that raises serious questions about the current government's judgment. "We will not stand up for our sovereignty or our values by working with a government that has kidnapped our people, interfered with our elections, dropped surveillance buoys in our Arctic waters, and set up secret police stations on Canadian soil," the Conservative MPs declared, painting a clear picture of Beijing's aggressive and hostile actions. "We must not forget that China has repeatedly threatened the sovereignty of its neighbors, even challenging Canadian aircraft and vessels in the region." Indeed, China's Ministry of National Defense openly stated that Canada and China have "restarted" military coordination talks, the first such engagement since 2018. The communist regime's statement claimed both sides "expressed willingness to strengthen practical exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries, and enhanced mutual understanding and trust." For many, this reads less as genuine cooperation and more as a concerning overture from a known adversary.

The last Canada-China Defence Coordination Dialogue took place in April 2018, before relations predictably soured over Canada’s detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou and Beijing’s retaliatory imprisonment of Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) confirmed the September 4 meeting, framing it as "ongoing working-level dialogue" to support "military-to-military communications at the functional level." The Prime Minister's office, always keen to manage optics, stated that Canada’s "renewed engagement with China will be guided by a series of guardrails," with "specific areas in which we will seek deeper cooperation with China and areas where we will not, which includes on defence." Yet, the very notion of "deeper cooperation" with a hostile regime in any sphere, let alone defense, sends shivers down the spine of common sense and national security advocates. This recent dialogue comes on the heels of the August 31–September 2 Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense Conference in Victoria, where military representatives from several countries, including China, were present. While Canadian Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan noted she did not have a bilateral meeting with the Chinese delegation, the head of U.S. Pacific Command Adm. Samuel Paparo did meet with Chinese Gen. Yang Zhibin on August 31. U.S. Pacific Command indicated discussions focused on maintaining open communication to "reduce the risk of miscalculation and promote safe and professional conduct between forces." Bezan and Duncan rightly pointed out the crucial distinction: "While certain allies have had conversations with the Chinese military, none of them are talking about increasing cooperation." They pressed the Carney government, stating, "We sincerely hope that your government is not pursuing such a goal." The difference between de-escalation talks and seeking "closer cooperation" with a geopolitical rival should not be lost on anyone. The Conservatives’ concerns are deeply rooted in previous questionable statements and actions by Prime Minister Carney. In January, during a visit to China, Carney publicly expressed a desire for a "strategic partnership" with Beijing, declaring it "sets us up well for the new world order." He also signed several memoranda of understanding, including one for closer law-enforcement cooperation and exchanges with China. Opposition parties have since demanded this agreement be made public, a request denied by Ottawa under the guise of it pertaining to issues like fentanyl trafficking. This lack of transparency only fuels suspicion. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre cut directly to the chase, posting on X on September 8: "No 'new world order'. No military cooperation with a regime that kidnapped our people, interfered in our elections, and set up police stations on our soil." The clear and present danger posed by the Chinese Communist Party demands unwavering vigilance, not naive overtures for "cooperation." For the security of Canada and the broader free world, it is imperative that leaders prioritize national sovereignty and resist the allure of globalist "new world orders" that only serve to embolden adversaries. Common sense dictates that engaging more deeply with a regime that actively works against your nation's interests is not a path to peace, but a road to compromise and danger.