Remarks by Minister of National Defence David McGuinty at CANSEC 2025
National Defence
2025-05-30
Speech
Check Against Delivery
Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, Lieutenant-General Kelsey,
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces,
International delegates,
Service members from our Allies and partners,
Members of the diplomatic corps,
Fellow parliamentarians,
And finally, industry partners,
Good morning everyone, bonjour à tous.
It's a privilege to join you for this year's CANSEC. My thanks to Christyn Cianfarani and everyone at CADSI for organizing this important event, and for bringing us together.
It is especially an honour to be here as CANSEC is hosted in the electoral district I represent. I want to welcome you all to Ottawa South.
Many of the companies in this room have a home in the National Capital Region. With over 10,000 workers, Ottawa's defence sector is a major employer. We have talent working in all aspects of the industry from tech, aerospace, and manufacturing. This is my first major engagement as Minister of National Defence.
Many of you are new faces—but I'm looking forward to getting to know you, and learning more about how your work strengthens Canada's defence and security.
Building a business is difficult. It comes with a lot of uncertainty and financial risk. Without you taking on that risk, we wouldn't have the equipment and services needed to keep Canadians safe.
So, thank you, for getting to work, thank you for employing Canadians, and thank you for growing our economy.
For those of you here today in uniform...
The people who commit their lives to service...
Who take on the hardest tasks in the toughest conditions...
Who are ready at the drop of a hat...
Who deserve the best from those of us who support them—
Thank you for choosing to serve Canada.
I've been struck by the deep sense of shared purpose I've seen—across government and industry—to strengthen our defence capabilities, and ensure our people are equipped for today's challenges and tomorrow's threats.
We have a clear direction, and we've made a decision. We've decided to act without delay, in close cooperation with our industry partners.
The global security environment today is volatile and uncertain.
Russia's illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine has stretched into a third, brutal year. China's imperial ambitions are increasingly clear—in its military buildup and its assertive posture toward other international powers.
And, states like North Korea and Iran continue to act as destabilizing forces in the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East.
Canada is not immune to these threats.
We face real challenges—both military and non-military—that demand an equally strong and coordinated response.
This includes growing activity in the Arctic, where our competitors have shown little hesitation in challenging Canada's territorial sovereignty.
As well as the threats posed by emerging technologies that are changing the very nature of war.
And we get it.
We are moving quickly to ensure our military has the tools to defend our country and continent—while remaining an engaged, reliable partner abroad.
And here is the key message: this work can only be done in partnership with you.
It is work that needs the full spectrum of equipment and services offered in this room—from quantum computing to shields to ammunition.
A new government was elected some four short weeks ago, and having run on a platform to strengthen Canada's sovereignty and security, your government is moving to take immediate and decisive action to rebuild Canada's defence capacity, rearm the Canadian Armed Forces, and invest in the Canadian defence industry.
The commitments we are making will support skilled and reliable jobs and stimulate growth in our communities across the country—including in more than 3,000 communities where the Canadian Armed Forces are present.
Already, in Canada, defence accounts for two hundred seventy-six thousand direct and indirect jobs.
Let's be practical: we see this with the opening of the new B Jetty in CFB Esquimalt, which created close to 1,300 jobs during its construction.
We see this in our Future Aircrew Training program, an $11.2 billion investment in training the next generation of Canadian aviators - which will create or maintain 3,400 jobs annually across Canada.
We see this with our River-Class Destroyer project, which will sustain over 5,000 jobs over the next 15 years, many of them in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
And by sourcing Canadian-made steel, aluminum, and critical minerals, we will multiply the economic benefits and strengthen local industries— like the aluminium industry in Québec.
But that's not enough. I share in your ambition to do more.
Now is the time to scale up our production here at home. Now is the time for government and industry to work together.
Now is the time for your government to invest in you—to capitalize on the immense and growing defence opportunities.
Canada's defence is bolstered by the strong relationships we have with our Allies and international partners.
We have over fifty international delegates attending CANSEC this year - a testament to the high calibre of the Canadian defence industry.
And as we strengthen these international ties, there will be opportunities for industry to help us deliver on shared priorities.
In November, Canada and Australia signed an agreement to work together on researching emerging missile threats, with a focus on countering hypersonic weapon systems.
And, earlier this year, Prime Minister Carney announced further cooperation with the Australians—investing over six billion dollars in a partnership to develop advanced Over the Horizon Radar capabilities.
After all, the Canadian Arctic belongs to Canada.
I want to increase the work our defence industry does with our Allies and partners.
My promise to you is that I will be:
Unafraid to carry the flag of the Canadian defence industry around the globe.
Unafraid to champion the innovative and class leading technology of Canadian companies.
Unafraid to help you compete on the world stage.
Our defence industry is world-class.
Innovative, highly skilled, and globally competitive.
Yet we need to better harness what you bring to the table.
In previous engagements between National Defence and industry, many of you raised concerns—about friction points, timelines, and the need for clear, consistent guidance.
I want to reassure you that your comments have been heard.
Our forthcoming Defence Industrial Strategy will put your insights into action.
We'll build a secure, resilient industrial base that supports long-term defence goals.
Canada has planned to triple defence spending from 2014 levels by 2030—but, your government is moving to accelerate this.
Your government will invest more to acquire the necessary equipment the CAF needs to be successful in carrying out its missions.
We're also taking real steps to improve how we buy, maintain, and upgrade our equipment. That includes streamlining our requirements and speeding up delivery—so CAF members get the tools they need, faster.
And we're moving toward a more regular, ongoing approach to defence planning. One that helps us stay on top of global threats, track our progress, and fix gaps before they grow.
I don't need to remind you that the world is changing fast—and this new approach will help us keep up. It will also give more consistency and predictability to our industry partners.
Having a strong, well-equipped military, supported by a strong defence industrial base, is top priority for me, for the Prime Minister, and for your government—as demonstrated by the PM's appointment of Canada's first-ever Secretary of State for Defence Procurement, Stephen Fuhr.
And as your government promises to do more, we ask that you do more.
We simply cannot afford to wait a decade for the capabilities we need today.
We need you to help us meet our ambitious timelines.
Canadians have a legacy of mobilizing quickly when times get tough.
During the Second World War, we went from just six ships to the third-largest navy in the world.
We can—and we will—recapture that same innovative spirit.
By procuring new equipment we can meet modern challenges.
But, we need people.
We need soldiers, aviators, and sailors.
The people that make up the Canadian Armed Forces are our greatest asset. Without them, we wouldn't be able to accomplish anything we set out to do.
Last fiscal year, we surpassed our recruitment goals, bringing in over 6,700 new Regular Force members.
That's a 55% increase from the year before.
And we will build on this success and grow our recruitment numbers even further.
We're going to do that by making it easier to serve, by building more housing units on bases, by expanding access to childcare, by providing better training, better equipment, and meaningful opportunities for career growth.
And by building a culture rooted in dignity, inclusion, and respect for everyone who serves.
We ask a hell of a lot of our military members and their families.
We ask them to be apart for extended periods of time.
We ask them to carry out dangerous missions.
In fact, we ask them to put the safety of others before their own—in defence of peace, freedom, and democracy.
That is a lot to ask.
And no matter the task, they carry out their duties with the utmost skill, dedication, and professionalism.
To the Canadian Armed Forces members listening: you are simply second to none.
To conclude we're ready to work with you to bring this vision for defence, and for Canada's defence industry, to life. In fact, no government can do this without you.
Without your risk taking.
Without your creativity.
Without your entrepreneurship.
Our cooperation will ensure our Armed Forces members have everything they need to protect our country and those who call it home.
And reaffirm Canada's position as a reliable and valuable partner on the international stage.
We are seized with the urgency of this task—and I know you are too. Our country is calling on us to take on this responsibility in the defence of Canadians, their security and sovereignty.
Thank you. Merci.
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