Show Notes
On today’s episode of the Expert Series, we examine Canada’s first Defence Industrial Strategy and how it aims to reshape military readiness, domestic industrial capacity, and Canada’s position in a rapidly shifting geopolitical environment. Vice-Admiral (Ret’d) Mark Norman, Lieutenant-General (Ret’d) Andrew Leslie, and the Honourable Peter MacKay assess the strategy’s ambition, its proposed “Build–Partner–Buy” framework, and the creation of a new Defence Investment Agency. They discuss...
More from Conference of Defence Associations Institute
Canada’s River-class destroyer program reached a major milestone on June 12, 2026, with the ceremonial keel laying of the future HMCS Fraser in Halifax. Construction of the 15-ship fleet is underway, with the first vessel expected to be delivered in the early 2030s. Designed to replace the retired Iroquois-class destroyers and Halifax-class frigates, the River-class will provide the Royal Canadian Navy with a new generation of combat capabilities. In this episode of the Expert Series, RAdm (...
The Canadian Army implemented a new mission-based structure on September 10, 2026, reactivating 1st Canadian Division as a deployable manoeuvre division designed to generate combat power for major operations and strengthen Canada’s ability to contribute to collective defence. In this episode of the Expert Series, LGen (Ret’d) the Honourable Andrew Leslie, former Chief of the Land Staff and former Member of Parliament, discusses the rationale behind the Canadian Army’s restructuring and its i...
The Canadian Armed Forces is conducting a series of Operation NANOOK activities across the Arctic to strengthen domain awareness, test joint operational capabilities, and reinforce Canada’s ability to detect, deter, and respond to potential threats in the North. In this episode of the Expert Series, LCol Kristian Udesen, Deputy Commander of the Canadian Ranger Group and former Commanding Officer of the 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group (1CRPG), and Captain Jacob McDonald, Operations Off...
In September 2026, the Government of Canada announced its formal application to join the United Kingdom-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a framework designed to enable rapid cooperation among like-minded European and North Atlantic allies without requiring full NATO consensus. The move comes as Canada faces growing security demands in the Arctic and North Atlantic. In this episode of the Expert Series, LGen (Ret'd) Stuart Skeats, former commander of the JEF’s Standing Joint Force Headqua...
On September 17, 2006, Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed European Parliament in Strasbourg, calling for a deeper Canada-Europe partnership as Canada responds to growing uncertainty in its relationship with the United States and a deteriorating security environment across Europe. The speech signals a broader effort to strengthen Canada’s strategic autonomy and deepen its role alongside European allies on defence and security. In this episode of the Expert Series, Dr. Justin Massie, Profess...