• Ottawa's sluggish bureaucracy leaves critical gaps in Canadian military ammo supply: AG

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-10-29 21:57:13.0
  Tags: [National, Defence, Public Safety, Governance, Industry]

  A federal audit by Auditor General Karen Hogan revealed that Canada's strategic military ammunition stockpile has critical gaps and fails to support war readiness or NATO commitments, citing sluggish restocking by Public Services and Procurement Canada and poor inventory management by the Department of National Defence. Despite a previously announced $9.2-billion federal funding pledge over 13 years and a March $1.4-billion framework scaling up domestic production—including $305 million to IMT Precision in Ingersoll, Ontario, and nearly $1 billion to General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems in Quebec—resolving the shortfalls will take several years. The audit noted that regular-use ammunition contracts took an average of nearly 19 months from signature to final delivery, while equipment unreliability and limited training further reduced operational utilization.

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• C-40 (45-1) - Strengthening Canada's Defence Sector Act

  Source: Parliament of Canada (LEGISinfo)
  Date: 2026-10-06 10:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Defence, Governance, Industry]

  Bill C-40, titled the Strengthening Canada's Defence Sector Act, was introduced and read for the first time in the House of Commons on October 6, 2026. Sponsored by the Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant, the federal legislation proposes new measures respecting production, procurement, and investment in relation to national defence and national security. The bill is currently at second reading in the House of Commons during the 1st session of the 45th Parliament.

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• Carney in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon to meet with Macron

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-09-20 14:40:36.0
  Tags: [National, Trade, Defence, Industry, Energy, Governance]

  Prime Minister Mark Carney traveled to the French territory of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron for bilateral discussions ahead of the UN General Assembly. The leaders addressed strengthening strategic partnerships in aerospace, energy, and critical minerals amid rising geopolitical tensions. The meeting follows European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's proposal for Canada to become the first associate member of the European Union, an initiative that Carney stated will be debated and voted on in Parliament. Additionally, Canada and the European Union have previously established ties through a free trade agreement and Canada's membership in the EU's defense procurement program.

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• GlobalEye gamble: Ottawa chose surveillance plane without knowing it met military needs

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-09-09 08:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Defence, Industry, Governance]

  The federal government initiated negotiations to acquire six GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft from Swedish defense firm Saab—built on Bombardier 6500 executive jets and produced in Toronto—without confirming whether the platform met the Royal Canadian Air Force's operational requirements. Subsequent military assessments revealed capability gaps, including a lack of 360-degree radar coverage, insufficient crew stations and NORAD connectivity, and a lack of in-flight refuelling capabilities. Defence procurement officials, including Secretary of State for Defence Procurement Stephen Fuhr, defended the purchase as a trade-off prioritizing economic stimulus, domestic job creation, and industrial benefits over complete military specifications.

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• Stephen Fuhr was mocked for opposing the purchase of F-35s. Now he's in charge of Canada's defence procurement

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-09-07 08:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Defence, Governance, Industry]

  Prime Minister Mark Carney's federal government has appointed former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot Stephen Fuhr as secretary of state for defence procurement to lead the newly formed Defence Investment Agency. Under proposed legislation Bill C-31, Fuhr is slated to oversee significant increases to Canada's defence budget and gain sweeping powers to award sole-sourced contracts to protect economic security. The appointment comes as the government reviews the purchase of Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets amid trade tensions with the United States, while accelerating other military acquisitions including Swedish GlobalEye radar planes, German-Norwegian submarines, and over 60,000 assault rifles from Colt Canada.

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