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© 2026 Conference of Defence Associations Institute
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The CDA Institute's programming convenes experts in Canadian defence, international security, and politics to provide nuanced discussion about current and ongoing issues in defence and security. https://cdainstitute.ca/
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On March 26, 2026, Canada reached the NATO defence spending target of two per cent of GDP for the first time in decades. The government achieved this after a late boost to defence funding, supported by internal reorganization and measures to strengthen the military. The milestone reflects Canada’s efforts to meet allied expectations and reinforce its defence capabilities. Today, Dr. Philippe Lagassé and Dr. Stephen Saideman analyze the significance of Canada reaching 2% of GDP on defence spe...
On today’s episode of the Expert Series, we bring you a special recap recorded on the sidelines of the 2026 Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence - capturing timely reflections aligned with this year’s theme, “The Road to 5%.” As Canada signals a major shift in defence spending and strategic posture, this episode offers a snapshot of the conversations shaping thinking in real time across the defence and security community. Drawing on conversations with speakers throughout the event, this ...
As Canada seeks its security and operational capacity in the North, Prime Minister Mark Carney recently announced a $35-billion federal plan to expand defence capabilities and infrastructure across the Arctic and northern regions, including upgrades to military bases, new operational hubs, improved airports, and road construction projects. On today’s episode of the Expert Series, MGen (Ret’d) Michel Lalumiere, Dr. James Fergusson, and Dr. Rob Huebert joined us to discuss the significance of ...
As Canada seeks to strengthen its independence and resilience in a more uncertain world, Prime Minister Mark Carney recently embarked on a 10-day tour of the Indo-Pacific, meeting with leaders in India, Australia, and Japan. Today, Jonathan Berkshire Miller, Rohinton Medhora, Vina Nadjibulla, and Mike Hughes joined us to discuss the strategic significance of Prime Minister Carney’s visit to Asia, the India-Canada "reset", the potential for deeper defence and economic ties with Indo-Pacific ...
On February 28, 2026, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was assassinated, an event that shocked the region and raised significant questions about Iran’s operational security. While his death is undeniably significant, the Islamic Republic survives his assassination, though it emerges considerably weakened, particularly given prior leadership losses and ongoing military and infrastructure degradation. Dr. Thomas Juneau, professor at the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and I...
On today’s episode of the Expert Series, CDA Institute Executive Director Gaëlle Rivard Piché and CGAI President & CEO David Perry examine how Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy is redefining the relationship between strategic autonomy, economic prosperity, and national security. They discuss the structural reforms and cultural shifts required to drive innovation, strengthen sovereign capabilities, and align economic growth with geopolitical realities. This episode unpacks t...
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...
On today’s episode of the Expert Series, we delve into the strategic complexities of Arctic security through the lens of wargaming. MGen (Ret’d) Dennis Thompson, creator of the game and Senior Mentor and Instructor at the Canadian Forces College, and Ven Adamov, Partner and Data Analytics Leader in KPMG’s Risk Services Practice, share their experiences and key takeaways while highlighting the geopolitical dynamics and military readiness challenges faced by Canada and its NATO allies. Th...
On today’s episode of the Expert Series, UBC Professor and CDA Institute Fellow David Borys is joined by CDAI Chair General (Ret’d) Tom Lawson and Vice-Chair Wendy Gilmour to discuss their recent National Post opinion piece on rebuilding the Canadian Armed Forces. Together, they examine Canada’s defence spending and its implications for the military, including recruitment and retention challenges, procurement hurdles, and how new investments could strengthen operational readiness, support the...
As Russia intensifies attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure this week, the links between defence planning, energy vulnerability, and resilience in Europe are once again front of mind. In this very timely release, the CDA Institute’s Climate Security Programme is sharing the third and final episode of its Special Expert Series highlighting key insights from the 4th Montreal Climate Security Summit, co-hosted with @NATO CCASCOE. In this episode, Programme Director @Pauline Baudu is ...
On today’s episode of The Expert Series Podcast, we speak with Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at The Economist, to examine the Trump administration’s interest in Greenland, growing strains within the transatlantic alliance, and what recent developments at the World Economic Forum in Davos reveal about the future of global order. Joshi reflects on the implications of renewed great power competition, alliance uncertainty, and the erosion of long-standing assumptions underpinning internati...
The CDA Institute’s Climate Security Programme has launched a limited set of episodes of the Expert Series podcast highlighting key insights from the 4th Montreal Climate Security Summit (MCSS), co-hosted with NATO CCASCOE. Recorded following the 4th MCSS, our second episode features Director of the Climate Security Programme @Pauline Baudu in conversation with Dr. Andrew Heffernan, adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa and climate associate at the Information Integrity Lab. Together,...
The role of Canada’s National Security and Intelligence Advisor (NSIA) has become increasingly pivotal in response to a rapidly evolving global security environment. Created in 2005, the position was designed to address gaps in Canada’s national security architecture and to ensure the Prime Minister had a dedicated advisor to navigate the complex world of security and intelligence. Since then, the NSIA has had to adapt to a new reality in which many of the most significant threats orig...
On Today’s episode of The Expert Series Podcast, Dr. Roland Paris, Ben Rowswell, and Dr. Kamran Bokhari examine the recent U.S. strikes on Venezuela, the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, President Trump’s renewed discussion around the potential acquisition of Greenland, and what pivots in U.S. national security strategy and renewed focus on the Western hemisphere mean for Canadian and global security. Paris, Rowswell, and Bokhari discuss the implications of U.S. strikes on Venezuela and ...
From the re-election of U.S. President Donald Trump to the Defence Investment Strategy, Budget 2025, the CPSP downselection, Canada’s integration into ReArm Europe, and this summer’s NATO Summit announcement that Canada would meet the 2% GDP target for defence spending, General Tom Lawson, Wendy Gilmour, and Dr. Rob Huebert joined the season finale of The Expert Series to reflect on the most consequential defence and security developments of the year and offer a threat assessment for 2026. T...
The CDA Institute’s Climate Security Programme has launched a limited set of episodes of the Expert Series podcast highlighting key insights from the 4th Montreal Climate Security Summit (MCSS), co-hosted with NATO CCASCOE. In our first episode, Director of the Climate Security Programme Pauline Baudu is joined by Eva Cohen, Founder & President of Civil Protection Youth Canada (CPYC), to discuss how civil–military cooperation in Canada is adapting as climate-driven and compound dis...
On today's Expert Series, Paul Taillon and Howard Coombs joined us to discuss Canada's plan to expand its reserve forces, with goals to increase the primary reserve to 100,000 and the supplementary reserve to 300,000. They discussed the key challenges, including inefficient recruiting systems, limited training capacity, and the need for better integration with regular forces. Other issues addressed were the supplementary reserve's current role as a civil defence pool rather than a war-...
In 2022, Canada unveiled its Indo-Pacific Strategy, committing $2.3 billion to boost its role in a region increasingly seen as the geopolitical and economic center of gravity. Has Canada actually become a relevant player in the Indo-Pacific, or are we still on the outside looking in? And given how quickly things are shifting, is it time to revisit and update this strategy before it becomes outdated?" On today’s episode of the Expert Series, CDA Institute Research Assistant Daniela Valenzuela ...
Canada's parliament has narrowly approved Prime Minister Mark Carney's first federal budget, allowing his minority Liberal government to avert an early election. The 2025 federal budget commits an additional $81.8 billion over five years to strengthen Canada’s defence capabilities, with a focus on modernizing military equipment, expanding digital infrastructure, and sustaining current defence assets. It sets a clear trajectory to meet NATO's 2% GDP target by the end of this year and aims for ...
Canada has shortlisted two international shipbuilders, Germany's TKMS and South Korea's Hanwha Ocean, for its Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, which aims to replace the Royal Canadian Navy's aging Victoria-class submarines. The program plans to acquire up to 12 conventionally powered submarines with under-ice capability and extended endurance, with the first delivery targeted for the mid-2030s. Both bids are now being evaluated for technical performance, delivery timelines, and potential ec...
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