Defence minister says he learned of possible damage to Canadian assets in Kuwait strike from media report

Defence Minister David McGuinty says he was unaware of potential damage to Canadian military assets in Kuwait following an Iranian airstrike until a media report raised the issue.

Speaking to reporters in Kitchener, McGuinty said he learned about the “situation” while travelling overseas with the prime minister, but declined to confirm whether Canadian equipment or facilities were hit, citing operational security concerns.

The Quebec newspaper La Presse reported on March 12 that satellite imagery analysis suggested the Canadian section of Ali Al-Salem Air Base may have sustained damage during a March 1 strike attributed to Iran.

Federal Conservatives criticized the government’s handling of the situation, accusing it of withholding information while allied countries have provided more detailed public briefings about similar incidents.

Some federal party leaders with top-secret security clearance are now calling for a closed-door briefing on the airstrike. Connect Newsroom contacted the Department of National Defence for clarification on whether Canadian assets were damaged. No response was received by publication time.