The Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Bill Blair, issued the following statement:
"For over 75 years, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has stood as a cornerstone of global security and stability, demonstrating that the collective strength of its 32 members can overcome the most pressing challenges of our time, including in the face of Russia's unjustifiable and illegal war in Ukraine. As NATO approaches its 76th anniversary this April, Canada reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the Alliance's core values of individual liberty, human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
"Canada is proud to contribute meaningfully to the Alliance, including through our commitments to strengthening NATO's deterrence and defence posture. In 2016, Allied Heads of State and Government decided to establish NATO's enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) along the Alliance's eastern flank. Canada played a key role in this by establishing and leading the NATO Multinational Battlegroup Latvia (formerly known as eFP Battlegroup Latvia) in 2017.
"Since then, we have continued to work closely with our Allies. In October 2024, the Multinational Battlegroup was integrated into the Canadian-led NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia (MNB-LVA). This collaboration has been instrumental in strengthening the security of the Baltic Sea region and NATO's eastern flank. The security challenges we face are global in nature, which is why we continue to work closely with our Allies, combining our strengths, sharing our expertise, and fostering a spirit of collaboration. Each contributing nation brings a wealth of experience that is invaluable to NATO's deterrence and defence mandate.
"It is with great pride that we welcome Swedish troops to the Canadian-led NATO MNB-LVA, now 14 nations strong. Sweden's participation marks an important milestone, being their first major NATO deployment less than a year after joining the Alliance. Their contributions will add significant strength to our mission, further enhancing its effectiveness and cohesion. Sweden's commitment in Latvia strengthens our collective resolve to bolster the defence and deterrence of the region and NATO's overall security posture.
"In November 2024, Canada reinforced its commitment to NATO's collective defence during Exercise RESOLUTE WARRIOR 2024, conducted across Central and Northern Latvia. This marked the first major field exercise conducted by NATO MNB-LVA as a brigade, showing what 13 Allies can do together. Our leadership and contributions to this exercise were key in showcasing our continued dedication to bolstering NATO's ability to defend Alliance territory.
"Looking ahead, Canada will continue to work with Sweden and other contributing nations to reinforce NATO MNB-LVA with personnel and equipment. The Brigade is composed of up to 3,500 soldiers from 14 different NATO countries[LT1] . This includes about 1,500 Canadian Armed Forces members currently at the Brigade, along with additional capabilities and personnel flowing into Latvia beyond that into 2026.
"The challenges we face today require more than just individual strength - they require unity. As we look ahead to NATO's 76th anniversary, we reaffirm our commitment to working closely with our Allies to ensure the collective security and stability of the Alliance, and safeguard the values that make us strong and resilient."
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