Diyar Guldogan
18 Mai 2026¢Mise à jour: 18 Mai 2026
AA / Washington / Diyar Guldogan
The US Department of Defense announced on Monday that it is suspending its participation in the Permanent Joint Defense Board (PJBD) with Canada, a historic bilateral body responsible for coordinating military cooperation between the two countries, amid criticism of Ottawa’s military commitments.
“A strong Canada, which prioritizes concrete power over rhetoric, is beneficial for all. Unfortunately, Canada has not made significant progress in its defense commitments,” said US Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby on the American platform X.
According to him, the Pentagon will now “reassess the utility of this forum for the common defense of North America.”
Established in 1940, the Permanent Joint Defense Board has been one of the main mechanisms for military coordination between Washington and Ottawa for decades. It has played a key role in continental security policy, Arctic defense, and North American strategic cooperation.
Elbridge Colby presented this decision as part of a broader reorientation of American strategy, focused on better sharing of responsibilities among allies and bolstering national defense capacities.
“We can no longer ignore the gap between rhetoric and reality. Serious powers must support their statements with concrete and shared commitments in defense and security,” he said.
“Ensuring the common defense of the continent begins with recognizing our shared geography. It is only by investing in our own defense capabilities that Americans and Canadians can be secure and prosper,” he added.
Former leader of the Canadian Conservative Party, Erin O’Toole, strongly criticized this decision as “profoundly misguided and quite strange,” especially coming shortly after US President Donald Trump’s recent visit to China.
“Canada has always been, and will remain, an ally committed to the values of freedom. As a Canadian whose grandfather was deployed in Alaska for common defense during World War II, I hope we do not lose sight of that,” he said.
* translated from English by Ayse Betul Akcesme
