A prominent feature of the public policy debate on national defence in Canada is also present in many other middle-power states: namely, the effort to find a reasonable balance in national defence policy between obligations to support the integrity of national territory and national sovereignty, and the obligations to contribute to international peace and security in more troubled parts of the world.
The current period of public discussion of defence policy, including discussions on military procurement, presents an opportunity to articulate an approach to national and international security concerns consistent with the values and approaches that seek to minimize the resort to force and violence in global affairs and to maximize attention to alternative means for the peaceful settlement of disputes and to building durable peace based on justice and equity.
The lack of a broad consensus on where Canadian policy should be headed creates strong opportunities to enter the debate with credible approaches and alternatives.
Recent Publications on Canadian Defence Policy
A new rallying cry
December 8, 2015Author Jessica West Published in The Ploughshares Monitor Volume 36 Issue 4 Winter 2015 It’s time to reformulate Canada’s foreign policy The ongoing, complex war in Syria, with its violent tentacles and humanitarian shockwaves, is a harsh reminder that the global security context needs rethinking. The focus on counterterrorism, which has dominated foreign and security policy in the West both at home and ...
Q&A: In pursuit of peace with Lucie Edwards
December 8, 2015Author Branka Marijan Published in The Ploughshares Monitor Volume 36 Issue 4 Winter 2015 It would be an understatement to say that Lucie Edwards has worked in some difficult environments. During her 33 years of service with the Department of Foreign Affairs, she served in the Canadian embassies in Tel Aviv (1977-1980) and in South Africa, under apartheid (1986-89). From 1993-1995, she was ...
What we know about the $14.8-billion deal to provide Canadian-made military equipment to Saudi Arabia
October 28, 2015Author Cesar Jaramillo Published in The Ploughshares Monitor Volume 36 Issue 3 Autumn 2015 10 Facts The largest arms exports contract in Canadian history will see Canadian-made military equipment shipped to one of the worst human rights violators in the world—Saudi Arabia. This will happen despite an existing export control regime specifically intended to prevent Canadian goods from fuelling human rights violations abroad. ...