‘No time to lose’: Indo-Pacific strategy highly anticipated after absence from budget
Absent from the latest federal budget were commitments to Indo-Pacific priorities as Canadians await the government’s much-anticipated strategy for engagement in the region. In the budget tabled on April 7, the Liberal government pledged an additional $8-billion in defence funding and to complete a defence review. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s (University-Rosedale, […]
Next defence policy review unlikely to alter dated Strong, Secure, Engaged approach: Q&A with Kim Richard Nossal
The next defence policy review is unique in Canadian history, representing the first time a prime minister has conducted a review twice in their tenure, but it’s unlikely to achieve different results than the past, says procurement expert Kim Richard Nossal. “What we’re going to find [is] that we do three things in the world: […]
Hawks fuelled fears to open the defence treasure chest
OTTAWA—On April 7, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tabled the joint Liberal and NDP budget. As was widely expected, the federal government has pledged to significantly increase the defence budget by as much as $8-billion. This sizeable boost will push Canada to the brink of the collective NATO goal of member states spending two per cent […]
Feds pledge to add more than $8-billion for defence, announce review of defence policy in new budget
With an eye to Russia’s renewed invasion of Ukraine, the federal government is proposing adding more than $8-billion to the military budget and to conduct a review of its defence policy in its budget tabled on April 7. With foreign policy taking a backseat for the government as it has dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic […]
In dangerous times, we need bold defence decisions
The events since the Feb. 24 Russian invasion of Ukraine represent the greatest upheaval to the structure of global security and economic stability since the Second World War. Whatever the outcome of the current war in Ukraine, Russian strongman Vladimir Putin will have even greater grievances with the western allies. With Putin’s iron grip on […]
Time to retool Canada’s Arctic strategy in the face of Russian aggression
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has Canada, its NATO allies, and foreign policy scholars looking to the Arctic region as the potential next site for future Russian aggression—with good reason. Russia’s buildup on the borders of Ukraine took place over a period of months. The buildup of Russia’s Arctic military capacity has been underway for years. […]
Russia-Ukraine conflict amplifies the need to protect Canada’s critical infrastructure from cyberattacks
The health and livelihood of Canadians depend on the uninterrupted functioning of our critical infrastructure systems such as energy, water, and transportation. We have long thought of infrastructure as physical assets, but increasingly they are also digital ones—and they come with a whole new set of cybersecurity risks. In 2020, the Canadian Centre for Cyber […]
Russia’s war in Ukraine forces foreign policy into Conservative leadership race spotlight, says Charest
With Russia’s continued bombardment of Ukraine and reports of widespread human rights violations, a Conservative leadership candidate says the conflict has put a spotlight on foreign policy during the race. Unlike the last Conservative leadership race, the frontrunners don’t bring an abundance of foreign policy experience, but Jean Charest leads the pack with his international […]
Canada lacks moral authority to be righteous about Russia
OTTAWA—The war in Ukraine has certainly served to highlight the emotional hypocrisy that exists among Canadians. Russia was wrong to invade Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin lied to the Russian people and the world by claiming that Ukrainians would greet his soldiers as liberators. The Canadian government has soundly denounced Putin’s aggression through providing lethal aid […]
Troublemaking: more questions about Canada’s plutonium funding and nuclear weapons proliferation
The threat of nuclear weapons being deployed by Vladimir Putin, and the potential weaponization of nuclear power plants in Ukraine, has reawakened the public to the danger that these technologies pose. Much to the chagrin of the nuclear industry, the connection between military and civilian nuclear industries is now on the public agenda. It is […]
