Defence minister tells arms makers to prepare for accelerated federal spending

Murray Brewster · CBC News

· Posted: May 28, 2025 10:42 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

Defence Minister David McGuinty pulled retired each the stops Wednesday successful his archetypal large nationalist code to enlist the country's apical arms makers successful the Liberal government's plans to accelerate subject spending.

He pledged the recently re-elected Liberal authorities volition instrumentality "immediate and decisive enactment to rebuild Canada's defence capacity."

McGuinty was speaking astatine the yearly CANSEC defence commercialized amusement successful Ottawa to hundreds of Canadian and planetary contractors, galore of whom are looking to merchantability weapons and munitions to the national government.

The code comes against the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump's speech of annexing Canada and 1 time aft the government's throne speech, which promised the region would motion connected to a $1.25-trillion European Union defence-industrial inaugural — known arsenic ReArm Europe.

Speaking connected CBC's Power & Politics Tuesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said helium hoped to person the woody done by Canada Day. 

McGuinty, successful his speech, reiterated that committedness and called connected defence contractors to articulation the effort.

"We're moving rapidly to guarantee our subject has the tools to support our state and continent, portion remaining an engaged, reliable spouse abroad," the curate said. 

"Here's the cardinal connection I privation to permission with you present this morning. This enactment tin lone beryllium done successful concern with you."

CANSEC, successful galore respects, is an yearly rite of transition for the defence minister, who is expected to physique bridges with the contractors that proviso subject gear. Many companies, however, person complained astir the glacial, often complicated, procurement process.

McGuinty said the concerns person been heard.

Going beyond NATO's 2%

He besides hinted the Liberal authorities was hoping to transcend its pledge to conscionable the NATO defence spending people of 2 per cent of the gross home product. During the election, Carney said the authorities would deed the people by 2030.

Canada plans to triple defence spending from 2014 levels by 2030, the curate said.

"But your authorities is consenting to accelerate this. So, enactment tuned."

NATO's caput wide this week said the 2 per cent benchmark would apt beryllium raised to 5 per cent astatine the adjacent leaders acme astatine the extremity of June.

McGuinty delivered his speech, but did not halt to talk with reporters. Instead, helium ducked retired the backmost curtain with his staff.