Fighter jet fiasco best example of procurement system that’s cumbersome, bureaucratic, and beset by political interference
Canada was a founding member of the Joint Strike Fighter program—the U.S.-led consortium with Lockheed Martin to develop the F-35 fighter jet—back in 1997. The government of Australia joined the program five years later. On Dec. 10, 2018, two F-35s arrived at the Royal Australian Air Force’s Williamstown base. They go along with eight other […]
Canada’s defence policy is strong, secure, and engaged
Through Canada’s defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Government of Canada is ensuring that our women and men in uniform have the equipment and services they need to do their jobs and protect Canadians. The policy features a significant increase in defence spending, and boasts an ambitious plan to spend more on equipment and infrastructure […]
DND should start to plan Victoria-class submarine replacements ‘now,’ says former submariner
As Canada’s four submarines undergo costly modernization upgrades, a former Canadian submariner says the government Department of National Defence needs to start a replacement project for the underwater warships. But a DND spokesperson says the department will not explore replacement options for the Victoria-class submarines until its modernization process is “well underway.” “The sooner DND […]
Ottawa be prepared: will Canada remain collateral damage after U.S.-China meetings?
The results of the trade talks in Beijing between China and the United States makes one thing clear: the major issues underlying the trade negotiations are here to stay and Canada finds itself stuck in the middle and pressured to pick a side. The elephant in the negotiation room is the technological rivalry between China […]
Trudeau unprepared for modern threats
Canada faces an array of emerging threats spanning the globe. Russian aggression against Ukraine and our Baltic allies, an increasingly expansionist China, a nuclear-armed North Korea, an unstable Iran, cyber warfare, and transnational terrorism all point to the need for Canada to have a robustly trained and equipped military. As the efficacy of “soft power” wanes, more robust deterrence measures are necessary. Unfortunately, the Trudeau Liberals […]
Dismantling of power cabinet trio sends a distressing message to Indigenous peoples
It’s possible that pundits read too much into every cabinet shuffle, particularly mere months before a federal election. But with the past week’s mini-shuffle, it’s hard to ignore the implications for Indigenous affairs in Canada. After the Liberals were elected in October 2015, the Trudeau government highlighted Indigenous affairs as one of its top national […]
China’s military ambitions could pressure Canada to increase naval deployments in Asia-Pacific, expert says
China’s increasing geopolitical ambitions in Asia-Pacific waters will put pressure on Canada to deploy ships alongside its American and Asian allies in order to counter the rising superpower’s expanding influence in the region, one expert predicts. If the United States wants to focus on containing the influence of China in the heavily-militarized and disputed South […]
Defence industries, defence exports and the economy: complex challenges for challenging times
Few would dispute that Canada will require careful navigation through the national security, economic, and other challenges we will face in coming years. Allies, partners, competitors, and potential adversaries are stretching the rules-based international order in ways that are increasingly disruptive, and we will need steady, clear-sighted leadership to see the country safely through these […]
Encouraging continued innovation in payments
Financial technology—or fin-tech—has arrived in a big way in Canada. Canadians are using tech-powered payment services in record numbers, for everything from sending money to friends, to calling ride share services and tapping their smartphones at the point-of-sale. According to the Department of Finance, the number of credit, debit, prepaid, mobile wallet and peer-to-peer transactions […]
In for the long haul? National Shipbuilding in Canada and Australia
It’s tempting to think that a fellow middle power like Australia, a country that bares enough similarities with Canada to merit the description of a ‘strategic cousin,’ is getting defence procurement right. Seemingly bipartisan support on security challenges, mixed with generous defence budgets have seen Canada’s distant relative acquire helicopter carriers, F-35s, and air warfare destroyers […]
