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HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA – Each year, global defense leaders from more than 80 countries gather in Nova Scotia, Canada, for the Halifax International Security Forum (HFX). Framed around the themes of “Dialogue, Decency, Democracy,” the 2025 forum showcases the United States’ commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the strength of the U.S.-Canada partnership, and collective security challenges facing democratic allies around the world.
U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and a bipartisan group of his Senate colleagues traveled to Halifax for the annual event. Cramer participated in a panel, moderated by CBC Radio host Susan Bonner, examining how democracies pair power with moral responsibility. The panel, titled, “Democracies Demand Decency,” focused on how the future of democracies is determined by the citizens who vote and the institutions, leaders, and values they vote for.
“In our unique form of democracy, a representative republic where the citizens are self-governed and the government is a true reflection of the people, the future is shaped by the citizens, not the preferences of self-ascribed world leaders,” said Cramer, chair of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) Airland Subcommittee and the Republican lead on both the American Canadian Economy and Security Caucus and the Canada-U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group. “I was very encouraged over the last couple of days by the commitment and conviction of European leaders, Canadian Members of Parliament, the Minister of National Defence, and others. I’m very grateful to Senator Shaheen for thinking me worthy, frankly, and inviting me here to Halifax. But without question, as intriguing and compelling as some of the panels were, the bilateral meetings were really of the upmost importance this weekend.”
Additional panelists included Colombian Minister of Defense Pedro Sánchez, Executive Director of Campaign for Uyghurs & World Uyghur Congress Rushan Abbas, and Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Sean Fraser.
While in Halifax, Cramer met with key leaders from across the globe, including Canadian Member of Parliament James Bezan, Canada’s Minister of National Defence David McGuinty, European Union Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Taiwan Chen Ming-chi, and more.
