Conference of Defence Associations Institute

On October 21, 2026, Minister of National Defence David McGuinty announced a new package of investments to accelerate Canada’s sovereign space capabilities, bringing the total value of space-related contracts, grants, and contributions announced this year to more than $3 billion. The announcements build on earlier investments in domestic launch infrastructure and include a 10-year, $20 million agreement with Nord Space for access to the Atlantic Spaceport complex in Newfoundland and Labrador, funding for satellite communications technology to support Arctic surveillance, Canada’s full membership in NATO’s Starlift initiative, and measures to develop a specialized space workforce within the Royal Canadian Air Force.

In this episode of the Expert Series, BGen Christopher Horner, Commander of 3 Canadian Space Division and Joint Force Space Component Commander, examines the strategic importance of these investments and how Canada is building the space capabilities required to protect its national security and sovereignty.

He discusses the role of space-based capabilities in military communications, intelligence, surveillance, and threat detection; the importance of sovereign launch capacity and domestic industry development; the NORTHWATCH program and the use of optical inter-satellite communications to improve Arctic domain awareness; and Canada’s contribution to allied launch capabilities through NATO Starlift. 

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

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On October 6, 2026, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-40, the Strengthening Canada’s Defence Sector Act, proposing to establish the Defence Investment Agency (DIA) as a Crown corporation. The proposed changes would give the agency greater commercial flexibility and contracting authority, while the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces would retain responsibility for defining operational requirements and accepting delivered equipment. 

In this episode of the Expert Series, Siobhan Harty, former senior Assistant Deputy Minister of Defence and Marine Procurement at Public Services and Procurement Canada, examines the proposed legislation and how the new structure could change defence procurement in Canada.

She discusses the potential effects on major acquisitions, including Canada’s next-generation submarine fleet; the division of responsibilities between the DIA and other government departments; the balance between operational independence and ministerial oversight; and lessons from the Canada–U.S.–Finland Ice Pact on allied cooperation, ship design, and defence supply chains.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

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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 (Ret’d) Brian Santarpia, former Commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic, discusses the capabilities of the River-class destroyers and the potential role of a proposed Continental Defence Corvette in strengthening Canada’s naval forces.

He examines advances in air defence, anti-submarine warfare, and long-range land attack; the threats posed by Russian submarines and growing demands across Canada’s Arctic and ocean approaches; the potential role of smaller warships in coastal security, mine countermeasures, and maritime surveillance; and the recruitment, retention, and crew-generation challenges that will shape the Navy’s ability to protect Canadian sovereignty and contribute to allied operations.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

Learn more: CDA Institute

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 implications for operational readiness and force generation.

He examines the shift away from contribution warfare toward division-level combat capability, the integration of regular force brigades and combat support elements, critical equipment and procurement gaps, lessons from the war in Ukraine, recruitment challenges, and the importance of accelerating defence investment to ensure Canada can defend its sovereignty and serve as a capable partner to NATO allies.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

Learn more: CDA Institute

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 Officer for 1CRPG, discuss the role of the Canadian Rangers in exercising Arctic sovereignty and Northern defence. 

They discuss Operation NANOOK’s Nunakput, Tugalik, and Takunik serials, the importance of persistent presence and local knowledge, Arctic surveillance and defence signaling, whole-of-government cooperation, relationships with Northern communities, the Rangers’ role in supporting regular force operations, and the practical realities of operating across the vast distances and limited infrastructure of the North.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

Learn more: CDA Institute

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 Headquarters, and Dr. Alexander Lanoszka, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Waterloo, examine what Canadian participation could mean for defence and security. 

They discuss the JEF’s relationship with NATO, Canada’s potential contributions in the Arctic, maritime and undersea surveillance, intelligence and information sharing, command and control, and opportunities for deeper defence cooperation with Northern European partners. They also consider the practical challenges of Canada’s limited military capacity, the demands of its Latvia mission, and whether JEF membership can provide meaningful operational benefits while Canada works to rebuild and expand its defence capabilities.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

Learn more: CDA Institute

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, Professor of Political Science at UQAM, and Wendy Gilmore, former NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment, examine what closer Canada-Europe ties could mean for Canadian defence and security. They discuss Canada’s participation in the EU’s €150 billion SAFE defence procurement program, opportunities for Canadian industry to work with European partners, Arctic and maritime security, command and control, air and missile defence, the F-35 and Gripen debate, and the need for a more resilient defence industrial base capable of supporting Canada and its allies.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

Learn more: CDA Institute

Earlier this year, the Government of Canada announced a $1.4 billion investment through the Canadian Defence Industry Resilience Program to establish a domestic ammunition manufacturing supply chain, including production of 155mm artillery projectiles, propellant charges, nitrocellulose, and high-explosive shells.

In this episode of the Expert Series, Colonel Stéphane Boucher, President of the Royal Canadian Artillery Association, examines what the investment means for Canada’s ammunition stockpiles and military readiness. He discusses lessons from the war in Ukraine, the strategic importance of domestic production, the future of 155mm artillery in a drone-heavy battlefield, and the need for Canada to build a more resilient defence industry capable of supporting both its own forces and NATO allies.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

Learn more: CDA Institute

On August 24, the Government of Canada announced an $11.3 billion contract with Chantier Davie to build six new Polar Class III icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard. The new fleet is expected to strengthen Canada’s ability to operate in the Arctic while supporting year-round maritime activity across the country.

In this episode of the Expert Series, Jody Thomas, former Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard, Deputy Minister of National Defence, and National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, examines what the new icebreaker fleet means for Canada’s Arctic security and sovereignty. She discusses the Coast Guard’s integration into National Defence, its evolving role in intelligence collection and maritime domain awareness, and the trade-offs of building the fleet domestically.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

Learn more: CDA Institute

On July 21, Canada became the first observer nation in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the UK, Italy and Japan’s effort to develop a sixth-generation stealth combat aircraft and an integrated networked air combat system. 

In this episode of the Expert Series, former RCAF commander LGen Yvan Blondin and former RCAF deputy commander MGen Colin Keiver discuss what Canada’s entry into the programme could mean for its future defence capabilities, industrial base, and international partnerships. 

They examine the significance of joining the programme, opportunities for Canadian industry, as well as the operational implications of sixth-generation air power, and what Canada would need to do to move from observer status to a more substantive role in GCAP.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

Learn more: CDA Institute