VICTORIA, British Columbia — Canada’s new leader has promised a major overhaul of defense procurement as the country intends to ramp up military spending.
The Liberal Party, headed by Mark Carney, won the federal election on April 28 setting the stage for new policies aimed at dealing with Canada’s deteriorating relationship with the United States.
On the campaign trail, Carney promised to focus more on Canadian-built defense products and shift spending away from the purchases of U.S.-built equipment. In addition, Carney has emphasized Canada’s interest in joining rearmament initiatives underway in Europe.
“Our old relationship with the United States, a relationship based on steadily increasing integration, is over,” Carney said in a televised victory speech in Ottawa on April 29. “The system of open global trade anchored by the United States, a system that Canada has relied on since the Second World War, a system that, while not perfect, has helped deliver prosperity for our country for decades, is over.”
Carney was able to defeat Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre by positioning himself as the best candidate to stand up to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump has brought in tariffs against Canada and has threatened to ruin the country’s economy. The president has warned that the only way the country could escape such punishment would be to become the 51st American state.
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Trump’s actions have caused widespread distrust of the U.S. in Canada and prompted the Liberals to outline a defense policy based on forging new military alliances.
The Liberal Party’s defense platform, released during the election campaign on April 14, included the creation of a new defense procurement agency. Carney has also promised to modernize defense-procurement rules so purchases of military equipment can be hastened. The Liberal Party platform also promised to buy “Canadian whenever possible and prioritizing Canadian raw materials such as steel, aluminum, and critical minerals.”
During an April 15 speech Carney noted that Canada must look to new sources for the purchase of defense equipment. He pointed out that over the years Canada has been overly reliant on the U.S. for defense products, noting that 80% of Canada’s military equipment purchases are from American firms.
Carney is a newcomer to politics. He won the Liberal Party leadership on March 9 and five days later was sworn in as Canada’s 24th prime minister. He called an election shortly after and received a new mandate to govern.
Carney has also ordered a review of Canada’s purchase of the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet.
The Canadian government committed in January 2023 to spending $13.2 billion (19 billion Canadian dollars) for the purchase of 88 F-35s from the U.S. Government.
Carney, who linked the review to Trump’s ongoing trade war against Canada, said at this point the country has only committed to purchasing the first 16 F-35s. He noted that he has had discussions with French and British government officials about whether they could provide an alternative to the F-35 and whether that aircraft could be built in Canada.
In addition, he pointed out that defense relations were a key part of his earlier talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
David Pugliese is the Canada correspondent for Defense News.
