Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday unveiled a multi-billion-dollar defence industrial strategy aimed at strengthening Canada’s military and reducing reliance on the United States for security.
Carney said the initiative reflects the need for Canada to assume greater responsibility for its defence amid shifting global dynamics and evolving US foreign policy under President Donald Trump.
“We’ve relied too heavily on our geography and others to protect us. This has created vulnerabilities that we can no longer afford and dependencies that we can no longer sustain,” Carney said while announcing the plan.
According to the Prime Minister’s office, the strategy represents more than half a trillion Canadian dollars in security, economic and sovereignty-related investments.
The package includes CAN$180 billion in defence procurement opportunities and CAN$290 billion in defence-related public investments over the next decade.
Carney said the plan would enhance Canada’s defence capacity on land, at sea and in the air, adding that the country must adapt to a changing global security environment.
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“The world has changed and Canada must change with it,” he stated.
Carney, who has been vocal in criticising the Trump administration’s approach to global alliances, also referenced remarks made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Security Conference.
Without being prompted by reporters, Carney contrasted what he described as “Christian nationalism” referenced in Rubio’s speech with Canada’s civic nationalism, which he said is rooted in protecting the rights of a diverse population.
“There is a rivalry taking place between Canadian nationalism and other forms of nationalism,” Carney said, speaking in French.
The defence strategy also prioritises reinforcing Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic, where melting ice linked to climate change is increasing global competition for critical minerals and opening new strategic routes.
Carney emphasised that Canada must safeguard its territorial integrity and economic interests as geopolitical tensions intensify.