2026-02-22 13:48
publication
2026-02-22 13:48
Canada's new strategy for the defense industry assumes that 70 percent army orders will go to Canadian companies, and dependence on supplies from the US will end. The media is analyzing whether the US will attack Canada like the European Union for the EU's army purchasing strategy.
Public broadcaster CBC reported on Saturday that the U.S. sent a position paper to the European Commission last Friday saying that “a protectionist and exclusionary policy that pushes American companies out of the market while the largest European companies still widely benefit from market access in the U.S. is the wrong course of action.” The same document was referred to by the Politico website, which on Friday published a text about American threats against the EU in connection with the “buy European” principle, which is to apply to European strategic sectors, including the defense industry.
On February 12, the leaders of EU countries agreed on the implementation of the “Buy European” policy to protect “strategic sectors” of European industry – wrote the British “The Guardian”. CBC emphasized that the EU is also implementing rules to counteract possible coercion against member states, which is a signal that Brussels takes American threats seriously.
“Rzeczpospolita” reported on Thursday that the “Industrial Accelerating Act” (IAA), which will introduce the principle of preference for products from Europe, is to be adopted on February 26.
The “buy Canadian” domestic procurement policy for the army was announced last Tuesday by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Canada's goal is to reach 2%. GDP in defense spending in the current fiscal year and 5 percent. GDP by 2035 and a priority for Canadian suppliers and materials. Total investment in Canada's defense capabilities is expected to amount to over half a trillion Canadian dollars.
At the same time, since last year Canada is expanding defense cooperation with the EU, participating in the ReArm Europe program and is the only non-European country in the SAFE defense lending system. Canadian companies can participate in procurement financed by this project.
Prime Minister Carney, responding on Tuesday to journalists' questions about possible American reactions to “Buy Canadian”, said that the government has “great confidence” in the possibility of increasing defense capabilities. He added that he prefers to use the term “complementarity” for American supplies, rather than “competition”, CBC quoted.
Still, there are points of contention in Canada-US defense relations. Canada planned to buy 88 F-35 aircraft, the confirmed order includes 16 aircraft. Last March, when the US introduced tariffs on Canadian products, the Prime Minister ordered a review of the plan. It is not completed, but a few days ago the media reported that the government had decided to pay for another 14 F-35 aircraft. At the same time, talks on the purchase of Swedish Gripens have been ongoing for many months.
CBC emphasized that Washington seems to see the EU's reinforcement of arms based on European companies as an economic threat. CBC also recalled that a week before sending the position to the European Commission, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at strengthening the position of the US defense industry as the main supplier of weapons to allies.
Politico previously wrote that Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, during a closed meeting last December. attacked European NATO countries for their willingness to rely on European supplies and replace American producers with them.
On Thursday, the British center Public First published a poll for Politico, in which 58 percent Canadians declared that they no longer perceived the US as a reliable ally.
From Toronto Anna Lach (PAP)
lach / san /
