For decades, Canada has enjoyed the benefits of NATO while spending comparatively little on its own military. That era may be coming to an end.

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This week on On The Line, host Jen Gerson is joined by Jean-François Bélanger, Senior Non-Resident Associate Fellow at the NATO Defense College, for a wide-ranging discussion about Canada’s long-overdue military buildup and what it means for the future of the Alliance. Bélanger’s work focuses on deterrence, nuclear strategy, wargaming, multi-domain operations, and military decision-making, making him well placed to explain the strategic thinking behind today’s defence debates.

As Ottawa commits to dramatically increasing defence spending, Gerson and Bélanger examine what those promises will actually require. Is Canada genuinely preparing for a more dangerous world, or simply catching up after decades of underinvestment? What capabilities do the Canadian Armed Forces need most urgently, and how should those investments be prioritized?

The conversation also explores how NATO has evolved in recent years, how the Alliance has adapted to the return of Donald Trump to the White House, and what Canada’s role should be in an increasingly uncertain international environment. They discuss the growing strategic importance of the Arctic, the impact of emerging technologies on military planning, and how the character of warfare is changing.

This episode is also brought to you by the Forest Products Association of Canada. Canada’s forest products sector is not asking Ottawa to start over. The federal government has heard the advice. It has recognized the challenges. And it has put a plan on the table. Now the test is action.

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Along the way, Bélanger explains why modern defence planning increasingly relies on forecasting, simulations, and sophisticated wargaming, and why many Canadians misunderstand both NATO’s purpose and Canada’s obligations within it.

It’s a timely conversation about deterrence, alliance politics, and the difficult choices Canada faces as it prepares for a less stable world.

For more, be sure to check out our main page at ReadTheLine.ca. Like and subscribe  

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