Conference of Defence Associations Institute

The Canadian Army implemented a new mission-based structure on September 10, 2026, reactivating 1st Canadian Division as a deployable manoeuvre division designed to generate combat power for major operations and strengthen Canada’s ability to contribute to collective defence. In this episode of the Expert Series, LGen (Ret’d) the Honourable Andrew Leslie, former Chief of the Land Staff and former Member of Parliament, discusses the rationale behind the Canadian Army’s restructuring and its i...

The Canadian Armed Forces is conducting a series of Operation NANOOK activities across the Arctic to strengthen domain awareness, test joint operational capabilities, and reinforce Canada’s ability to detect, deter, and respond to potential threats in the North. In this episode of the Expert Series, LCol Kristian Udesen, Deputy Commander of the Canadian Ranger Group and former Commanding Officer of the 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group (1CRPG), and Captain Jacob McDonald, Operations Off...

In September 2026, the Government of Canada announced its formal application to join the United Kingdom-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a framework designed to enable rapid cooperation among like-minded European and North Atlantic allies without requiring full NATO consensus. The move comes as Canada faces growing security demands in the Arctic and North Atlantic. In this episode of the Expert Series, LGen (Ret'd) Stuart Skeats, former commander of the JEF’s Standing Joint Force Headqua...

On September 17, 2006, Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed European Parliament in Strasbourg, calling for a deeper Canada-Europe partnership as Canada responds to growing uncertainty in its relationship with the United States and a deteriorating security environment across Europe. The speech signals a broader effort to strengthen Canada’s strategic autonomy and deepen its role alongside European allies on defence and security. In this episode of the Expert Series, Dr. Justin Massie, Profess...

Earlier this year, the Government of Canada announced a $1.4 billion investment through the Canadian Defence Industry Resilience Program to establish a domestic ammunition manufacturing supply chain, including production of 155mm artillery projectiles, propellant charges, nitrocellulose, and high-explosive shells. In this episode of the Expert Series, Colonel Stéphane Boucher, President of the Royal Canadian Artillery Association, examines what the investment means for Canada’s ammunition st...