Senior military leader concerned by Canada's absence from American-British-Australian security pactCanada could miss out on important technology, says Vice-Admiral Bob AuchterlonieThere are concerns at the highest levels of the Canadian Armed Forces that this country won't have access to the same cutting-edge military technology as its closest allies because it is not part of a security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.The trilateral treaty, nicknamed "AUKUS" after the three countries involved, was announced in September 2021 in what many have seen as a bid to counter China's growing military presence in the Indo-Pacific region, where Canada has growing economic and security interests.The federal Liberal government has not said why Canada is not part of AUKUS, or even whether it was invited, with Defence Minister Anita Anand's office again sidestepping the question last week."The strategy we have just come up with, and the fact that we have now blocked [Chinese] companies from investing in the North, has been a positive step for Canada, a real positive step," he added.He nonetheless expressed concern about Canada's lack of involvement in AUKUS, even as he acknowledged the issue has political dimensions and it may not be his place as a military officer to express such a sentiment."