As NATO nations, including Canada, ramp up rearmament, they are increasingly confronted with various ghosts of the Cold War, notably the resilience of Russian industry and its capacity to be able to deliver weapons — that while often technologically inferior to the West — are “good enough” to wage war.
Moscow’s ability to produce en masse drones, missiles, aircraft and other weapons of war has been hampered by sanctions and a long-term erosion of quality is taking place.
NATO?
What do the two words “national defence” really mean in Canada? What are our core values and vital interests today, and how can we invest responsibly in their promotion and protection going forward? These are core questions for all Canadians to debate. They speak to the security we must now strengthen at home, and the sacrifices that will be required to support these efforts. Canada needs a modernized strategic culture that reflects a renewed understanding of and approach to security and defence, and is firmly grounded in active public debate and clear national priorities.
I don’t think the defence of Canada is feasible without the US.
It’s been 24 years since what is widely considered the first lethal drone strike: a Predator UAV attack on an al-Qaeda vehicle convoy in Afghanistan just nine weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks.
The strike killed Mohammed Atef, son-in-law of Osama bin Laden and head of the group’s military operations, and made clear to all that 21st century warfare was going to see a large role for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Large, expensive fixed-wing drones such as the Predator and Reaper still have their place. Canada has ordered a fleet of similar drones expected to be up and running in 2033.
Only about 300 Canadian Armed Forces members are responsible for patrolling the country’s northern territories — an area six times the size of France — according to a federal briefing note that also welcomes foreign military support in the Arctic.
Blacklock’s Reporter says the June 20 document, titled Arctic Sovereignty And Security, acknowledged that the regular military presence in Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut remains limited.
The Canadian Armed Forces made their first humanitarian airdrop over Gaza on Monday using their own aircraft — delivering 9,800 kilograms of aid to Palestinians, according to Global Affairs Canada.
CBC News had exclusive access to the Canadian effort, which delivered food supplies like lentils, oil, milk powder and pasta using a CC-130J Hercules aircraft that departed from a Jordanian airbase.
Collateral damage?
Get out of the way, stupid! @fancypants_s https://t.co/Zfs7w9lcGK
— Auntie Polly (@auntie_polly) August 4, 2025
h/t Auntie Polly
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s goal of hitting NATO’s defence spending target of two per cent of gross domestic product this year will be an uphill — nearly impossible — battle, say experts and critics.
An extra $8.7 billion is earmarked for defence spending by the Department of National Defence (DND) or other government departments, and $370 million for the Communications Security Establishment (CSE). Allies had been pushing Canada to meet NATO’s goal for nearly 20 years — but actually actually doing so became imperative with Donald Trump in the White House.
Never underestimate the LPC’s talent for graft.
Top army commander says ‘completely unacceptable’ behaviour is eroding trust in the Canadian Forces
The credibility and reputation of the Canadian Army is once again being questioned following an investigation into alleged extremist activities involving soldiers in Quebec and revelations of inappropriate social media posts by members of an Ottawa-based reserve unit, the country’s army commander acknowledged Wednesday.
Lt.-Gen. Mike Wright said in an interview with CBC News that the recent twin controversies are eroding the trust the military has worked to regain following the high-profile sexual misconduct scandal, which saw the resignation or retirement of a number of high-profile leaders.
Oh I think it happened much earlier … and it’s called going woke.
Early on the morning of July 8, RCMP officers arrested four suspects — two of them active military members — in an alleged plot to form an anti-government militia.
The Mounties maintain the group had stockpiled a trove of weapons, including dozens of firearms and 11,000 rounds of ammunition, as part of a plan to take control of a piece of land near Quebec City by force.
Three of the suspects, including one of the active military members, are facing terrorism charges. A judge will rule Thursday whether to grant them bail.
It’s the usual CBC effort to degrade & emasculate the Armed Forces.
A national poll released last week found that Canadians favoured increasing the national debt rather than raising taxes as the best way to pay for the gigantic increase in military spending recently pledged by Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The poll result is hardly surprising. But it tells us nothing.
Indeed, the poll is of dubious value, since it left out the most basic question: Do you support Carney’s plan to massively increase military spending over the next decade?
Submarines to prowl Canada’s coasts, surface-to-air missiles to protect its cities and billions of dollars for aging military-base infrastructure that in many cases dates back to the Second World War.
For years, the Canadian military has drawn up lists of what it needs to bolster its readiness and capabilities. Now, it may have the cash to change how Canada defends itself.
Military asked to consider dismissing members after 1st offence of unwanted sexual touching
Defence Minister David McGuinty wants the military to review a trend in civilian court toward judges supporting workplaces firing Canadians for any unwanted sexual touching on the job — even if it happened once.
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is launching new advisory panels this fall to discipline military members for sexually inappropriate behaviour.
On a Tuesday morning in late June, a crowd of investors, government officials, entrepreneurs and bankers huddle in a small conference room on the 53rd floor of the TD Bank Tower in downtown Toronto to mull over the possibility of imminent conflict.
Kevin Reed, president of the European Defence, Security, and Resilience Bank, asks the attentive crowd before him how many of them think Canada will be at war in five years. Nearly half of them raise their hands. Next, he asks how many think Canada will be at war in two years. A few put down their hands, but many remain. Then, he asks, “How many think we’re at war now?” Some hands are still raised.
‘A long-distance alliance based on colonial nostalgia won’t serve Canada better than our largest trading partner next door. ‘
Let me begin by saying that this is the first time I have ever written to any news outlet — a fact that speaks volumes about the respect I have long held for the Western Standard. As a committed reader and subscriber, I have consistently trusted the WS to offer honest, grounded reporting and thoughtful analysis that stands apart from the distortions of the mainstream media.
That trust was shaken with your recent publication of Jamie Weir’s opinion piece advocating for a CANZUK alliance over closer integration with the United States.
The soldiers charged in connection with an alleged terrorist conspiracy had been under restrictions that limited their access to army bases and equipment, and none of the weapons, ammunition or explosives in their alleged arsenal originated from the Canadian military, the Department of National Defence (DND) says.
The statement from the DND on Monday morning did not say where those items, which were seized as part of the RCMP-led investigation that led to four arrests last week, came from.
Does CAF have weapons?
As Canada ramps up defence spending in an effort to meet its NATO commitments, a pollster suggests the military may struggle to find the people it needs. According to a new Angus Reid Institute poll, just under half of Canadians say they’d be willing to serve if war broke out, and younger adults were the least likely to say they would volunteer.
The poll results are far less encouraging than the article implies.
