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Canada’s Defense Policy: A Call for Strategic Discipline

Canada’s Defense Policy: A Call for Strategic Discipline
A Canadian flag patch is shown on an Armed Forces member's uniform in Trenton, Ont., in a file photo. The Canadian Press/Lars Hagberg
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Commentary

Canada is at a crossroads. Faced with an increasingly volatile global security environment and mounting domestic challenges, it must reconcile its ambition to be a credible international player with the hard realities of its limited resources and strained military capabilities. The choices made now will define not only Canada’s role in the world but also its ability to defend itself in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. The question is simple but profound: Can Canada remain a reliable partner to its allies while safeguarding its own sovereignty? The answer lies in adopting a disciplined approach to defense—one that prioritizes national interests, strengthens alliances, and exercises strategic restraint.

Andrew Latham
Andrew Latham
Author
Andrew Latham, Ph.D., is a tenured professor at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He is also a Senior Washington Fellow with the Institute for Peace and Diplomacy in Ottawa and a non-resident fellow with Defense Priorities, a think tank in Washington, D.C.