The Carney government needs to take a long view of continental defence to protect Canada and our vital national interests.
If the Carney government is going to truly transform the Canadian economy, defence production provides a strong foundation for innovation and growth.
Defence procurement does not exist in a vacuum, and must be consistent with the government’s overall foreign and defence policy.
The election of Donald Trump as America’s next president may finally shake Canadians out of their complacency.
In the wake of the current debate on foreign interference, we have an opportunity to create a unique organization that can enhance Canada’s foreign intelligence collection and safeguard our security and sovereignty. There is no better time than the present.
While no court has yet to render a verdict on the actions of Vladimir Putin and his forces, there is mounting evidence that Russia may be guilty of major violations of global humanitarian law.
Doing our share to contribute to collective security and global stability benefits Canada and Canadians.
So much more could have been done to provide Canadians with a clearer roadmap of defence and security issues as well as our place in the world in the time it has taken to produce the defence policy update.
One area where the Liberal government has seriously under-performed is in foreign affairs and defence.
It is time Canada stepped up and commissioned some of its surplus inventory of LAVs to provide a cohesive land combat team of MBTs and IFVs for Ukraine. Allied support must continue unabated. The future of Ukrainians as a free people depends on it.
The Freeland Doctrine, as some are calling it, could and probably should form the basis of a Canadian foreign policy review which arguably should be done alongside a defence review update, writes former Paul Martin-era defence minister David Pratt.
