Defence spending that supports Canadian industries

Status quo defence spending is not enough. Canada must negotiate a defence pact with the EU that develops shared  procurement agreements to support, build and diversify Canada’s aerospace and defence sectors.

Here’s why:

Canada must diversify its security relationships in the face of American hostility. This is already in the works: There have been numerous reports that the government of Canada and the European Union are exploring a potential EU-Canada security and defence partnership.

Stronger collaboration between Canada and Europe can focus on key areas including research, information sharing, industrial policy, defence production, workers’ rights, market access, and much more.

Canada and the European Union already have agreements that show collaboration and partnership are possible. For example,

  • The 2017 Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) already secures Canada-EU cooperation on issues including international peace and security, counterterrorism, human rights and nuclear non-proliferation, clean energy and climate change, migration and peaceful pluralism, sustainable development, and innovation.
    • NATO: Canada’s share of NATO's common funding is now approximately 6.68%, and our country has pledged to reach its own 2% of GDP defense spending by 2030-32. Canada leads a multinational NATO battlegroup in Latvia as part of Operation Reassurance comprising 3,400 soldiers from 13 allied nations.
    • Canada has signed General Security of Information Agreements (GSOIA) with France (1988), the EU (2018), Ukraine (2024) and Poland (2025). A GSOIA allows security screened suppliers from both countries to access classified information or assets necessary to bid on sensitive procurements in the other country and to facilitate business opportunities for companies in industries such as defense, security, aerospace, marine, nuclear and space.
    • Many European defence companies are already involved in Canada.