Heard On The Hill

National Defence makes downtown Ottawa its drone-testing playground

Plus: The Public Policy Forum honours Globe bureau chief Bob Fife, Vince Beiser wins the Balsillie public policy book prize, and the SheIS movement—of which Diana Fox Carney is honorary patron—is creating awards for women in sport.

Two drones fly above the corner of Queen and Kent Streets in downtown Ottawa on Nov. 24, 2025, part of testing for National Defence's Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security program.The Hill Times photograph by Kate Malloy

Feature

BY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

December 1, 2025

There was something—or things—in the air last week in downtown Ottawa.

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