Canada launches massive defense plan to curb dependence on U.S.

Carney’s announcement of Canada’s first defense industrial strategy builds on a theme he has emphasized throughout President Donald Trump’s 11 months in office, breaking with the United States’ traditional alliances: In an increasingly dangerous world, Canada is not doing enough to defend itself and relying on U.S. protection is no longer viable.

“We rely too much on our geography and other factors to protect us,” Carney said.

“This creates a vulnerability that we can no longer afford and a dependency that we can no longer sustain,” he added.

Carney has become one of the world’s most prominent voices criticizing the Trump administration, especially after a speech at last month’s World Economic Forum in which he said Trump had triggered a “fracture” in the rules-based global order.

Carney also spoke on Tuesday about U.S. Secretary of State Rubio’s speech at the Munich Security Conference last week, highlighting what Canada’s leaders see as a growing gap between U.S. and Canadian values.

Carney, speaking to reporters after delivering a speech on the defense plan, pivoted to Rubio’s speech without being asked. He warned that Trump’s top diplomats had spoken of Washington’s desire to defend “Christian nationalism.”

Carney said “Canadian nationalism is civil nationalism” and Ottawa’s mission is to defend the rights of everyone in this vast and diverse country.

“There is a competition going on between Canadian nationalism and other forms of nationalism,” he added in French.

Rubio said in Munich that “Western civilization” is defined by “the Christian faith, culture, heritage, language, blood and the sacrifices of our ancestors.”

Carney’s office said the defense industrial strategy is “worth more than $5 trillion to Canada’s security, economic prosperity and sovereignty.”

This includes C$180 billion worth of defense procurement opportunities and C$290 billion worth of defense-related public investment over the next decade.

Carney said the plan calls for enhanced defense capabilities on land, at sea and in the air.

“The world has changed and Canada must change with it,” he said.

Carney reiterated the need to strengthen Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic, where rising temperatures due to climate change are melting the ice and ushering in a new era of competition for critical minerals.

BS/DW

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