Cash crunch - Halifax International Security Forum still waiting for federal funding

HALIFAX -

Organizers say it's not in jeopardy, but a major Maritime conference finds itself a bit short on cash at the moment.

CTV News has learned the Halifax International Security Forum still hasn't received its annual funding from the federal government, although it's unclear why.

"It's true we haven't heard from them, despite several attempts, but parliament passed a unanimous resolution a few months ago, and we're confident we'll get the funding in due course," the event's vice-president, Robin Shepherd told CTV News from Washington Wednesday.

Founded in 2009, the forum is billed as "North America’s leading annual Forum for the discussion of the world’s most pressing security challenges."

It often attracts high profile and senior government officials, like the late U.S. Senator and presidential candidate John McCain, who attended in 2016.

It also usually sparks local protests from anti-war demonstrators.

Although many of the events and debates are public, insiders say the real action happens behind the scenes.

"I've seen Ministers from Israel and Palestine have eye-to-eye meetings that simply could never happen in that region," said Peter MacKay, Canada's former Minister of National Defence from his home in Little Harbour, Nova Scotia.

MacKay is credited with founding the event, and says the importance to the local economy can't be overstated.

"The hotels, the taxicabs, the restaurants. The individuals who come to Halifax for the first time, and then return with their families as tourists," MacKay said.

The former Conservative cabinet minister isn't sure why Ottawa's financial contribution to stage the event -- somewhere around $3 million -- hasn't come in yet, but he saysthe Trudeau government's defence policy has been more focussed on traditional peacekeeping than policy-making.

"I don't think the security forum is perhaps consistent with the Prime Minister and the government's vision of international security these days," said Mackay.

"They seem to have placed a -- in my view -- a misguided direction around peacekeeping and that type of international policy, from a Pearsonian, blue-helmeted peace keeping era has passed us by."

Shepherd says the current federal election campaign has also shifted priorities on the federal level, but he's convinced the money will come through.

"Coming out of COVID, following the fall of Afghanistan, where Canada, along with many other countries, have expended so much blood and treasure, I mean, this conference is more important than ever," said Shepherd.

The sentiment is echoed by MacKay.

"We're living in a much different world as we've seen with Afghanistan recently," MacKay said. "As we have seen in other parts of the world.  We need to band together wiith our allies and NATO, certainly the United States and the NORAD relationship."