Jill KruseBill Blair, minister of national defence and François-Philippe Champagne, minister of innovation, science and industry, stated in a recent media release that their trip to Washington, D.C., in early February was productive.
While in Washington, Blair and Champagne met with industry leaders to discuss increased strategic collaboration in defence and aerospace procurement in the defence of North America. They said that these stakeholders have strong ties to the Canadian economy, and this mission was to discuss opportunities to promote shared Canada/U.S. defence and security objectives and economic prosperity on both sides of the border.
Met Key Congress Members
During their visit, the ministers met with key members of Congress. They discussed the long-standing bilateral relationship between the two countries and Canada’s role as a strategic military partner, highlighting the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and mutual investment in continental defence and Arctic security.
“Canada’s defence relationship with the United States benefits both countries and contributes to a safer and more secure continent,” stated Blair. “Strong partnerships with our allies and their defence industries position Canada to better defend and deter emerging security threats while at the same time growing our economy at home.”
Canada will invest a further $8.1 billion in defence over the next five years and $73 billion over the next 20 years. He said these investments build on Canada’s NORAD Modernization Plan, announced in June 2022.
Canadians and Americans Safer
This plan, backed by an investment of approximately $38 billion, is Canada’s most significant investment in NORAD in a generation, added the Minister of Defence.
“Canadians and Americans are safer thanks to our shared and integrated defence industrial base, which has been in place for over 80 years,” said Champagne. “Partnerships between our aerospace, space and defence firms, including our integrated supply chains, provide well-paying American and Canadian jobs while fueling innovation and economic growth.”
As long-standing partners in NORAD and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Canada and the U.S. work closely on security and defence issues. Both countries are members of the G7 and G20, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the World Trade Organization.
Highly Integrated Defence Industrial Base
According to Minister Champagne, Canada and the U.S. have benefitted from a highly integrated defence industrial base, with Canadian companies serving as key suppliers on several major U.S. defence programs and the U.S. as a key supplier to the Canadian Armed Forces.
“Many of Canada’s largest defence firms are also subsidiaries of major U.S. defence companies, directly employing thousands of Canadians across the country,” stated Champagne.
In 2023, he said Canada’s aerospace and space sectors imported $10.2 billion in aerospace products and parts from the U.S. Canada is a mission partner to NASA and is a signatory of the Artemis Accords. Canada is contributing Canadarm3 to NASA’s Lunar Gateway space station, and as a result, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen will fly aboard Artemis II in 2026, the first flight around the Moon since 1972.
Canada’s partnership spans over 40 years as a member and contributor to the first space shuttle missions, the International Space Station, and the James Webb Telescope.
