Canada watches to learn Kamala Harris' approach to defence at Democratic National Convention

Canada's ambassador to the United States says the country is looking for an administration willing to deepen its defence relationships as NATO allies watch closely to see what the Democratic National Convention may reveal about how Kamala Harris could approach foreign policy. 

Kirsten Hillman expects Harris to follow President Joe Biden's lead on defence but says the vice-president has had a different emphasis in her approach: focusing on the Western Hemisphere.

What will be essential for any president, Hillman added, is to continue defence partnerships and expand opportunities for production co-operation with Canada. 

Hillman was speaking on a panel about NATO on Tuesday with U.K. Ambassador Karen Pierce and Estonian Ambassador Kristjan Prikk on the sidelines of the convention in Chicago. 

Thousands of Democratic party faithful have gathered this week to build on the excitement mounting since Harris swiftly moved to the top of the presidential ticket ahead of the November election. 

The excitement among supporters hasn't waned as the convention continues with party faithful, many wearing Harris shirts or bright blue sequined hats, arriving in droves for different events and to hear the speakers.

The convention, however, has provided little insight into a Harris administration's approach to foreign policy.

The first night of the convention saw Biden give a speech detailing his administration's accomplishments, which he said included strengthening NATO and pushing back on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We united Europe like it hadn't been united for years, adding Finland and Sweden to NATO," Biden said during the Monday night address. 

Concerns over Biden's health and the possibility of a second Donald Trump presidency cast a shadow over the defence alliance leaders' summit in Washington, D.C., last month. Just over a week later, Biden announced he was ending his presidential run, putting his endorsement behind Harris. 

Trump has spoken harshly about NATO and threatened not to defend members who don't meet spending targets, of which Canada is one. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last month that Canada expects to hit its target of two per cent of national gross domestic product on defence by 2032. 

Trump has also mused about ending aid to Ukraine, and his Republican running mate, JD Vance, told the Munich Security Conference earlier this year that the U.S. needs to pivot away from defence in Europe.

Many European leaders have said support for the defence alliance has become even more important with Russia's war against Ukraine. 

While Kyiv's recent incursion into Russia's western region is changing the trajectory of the war, Democratic Rep. Jim Himes said a second Trump presidency would be devastating for U.S. relationships and safety around the world.

Himes, who represents Connecticut, called publicly for Biden to step away as the Democratic candidate after an uneven performance by the president at the NATO summit. Himes said the stakes were too great to risk losing. 

"A Donald Trump presidency is a presidency in which we probably walk away from our commitment to our allies in NATO, probably walk away from support to Ukraine, probably do a bunch of things (to) hearten Vladimir Putin," Himes said during a talk at the CNN-Politico Grill on the sidelines of the convention. 

Supporters have said Harris sees the importance of global security and defence alliances. Additionally, Himes said, Harris understands that the world has become a more complicated environment for defence efforts.

But it's unclear whether Harris would act differently than her predecessor. The 2024 Democratic party platform, approved Monday, had not been updated to reflect that Biden is no longer running for re-election.

Prikk said whichever party forms the next administration, he believes they should recognize that American and European allies "share fundamental and vital interests."

Among opportunities under a new administration, Hillman noted that Canada is keen to talk to its allies in AUKUS, a U.S.-led alliance with the United Kingdom and Australia.

Earlier this year, Trudeau mused about exploring the possibility of joining AUKUS for its second phase, which is focused on advanced capabilities like quantum computing, AI and cyber technologies.

"We feel optimistic about everything we bring to that partnership," Hillman said during the CNN-Politico Grill panel.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2024.