The Security, Trade and the Economy program aims to provide Canadians with relevant and accessible analysis on current international economic policies with a focus on Canadian interests and trade security. Additionally, the program examines our country’s commitment to NATO’s mandate of encouraging economic collaboration and eliminating economic conflict.
As Canada explores ways to diversify its trade partners and deepen ties with Europe, more of daily life runs across the big blue Atlantic. Being a trading nation bordered by three oceans and entwined in long supply chains, the reliability of sea lines is essential to Canadian trade vitality. Roughly 80% of world trade by volume moves by sea, which means reliability of marine trade Read More…
In light of increased allied defence spending targets, multi-year order books have essentially been made. There are projections for increased spending on security and civil-resilience which include cybersecurity for hospitals and ports, sensor networks for power and transport infrastructure, secure communications for emergency services, demining used in reconstruction, physical protection of critical sites, and instruments that underpin modern defence. NATO has essentially set out a demand signal Read More…
The London market’s Joint War Committee (JWC), a highly influential advisory group of market practitioners, designates the Listed Areas or areas with “increased risk of war-related perils.” Voyages through Listed Areas must be notified to hull insurance underwriters by shipowners which ultimately triggers a negotiation for an additional premium (AP) for war risk coverage, usually quoted as a % of hull value for a 7-day period. Faced with Read More…
Water is becoming one of the hard limits on how much food the world can reliably produce. For Canada and its trading partners, that turns water into a constraint that shapes resilience, trade strategy and security. How Water is Moving Up The Security Agenda Across countries, water is moving from background resource to strategic constraint on economic resilience and stability. Agriculture accounts for roughly 70% of Read More…
Year 2025 has seen unprecedented cases of Russian incursions into NATO territory, with dozens of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) sightings forcing airports to shut down, causing significant delays and financial damage. More so, these incidents reveal the new dimension of the hybrid warfare Moscow is waging against Europe that risks tipping the balance of power on the continent. Responding Read More…
Foreign Investment, Market Structure, and NATO Economic Security Russia’s invasion of Ukraine marked a turning point in how NATO understands economic security. The immediate response was necessarily focused on energy: securing supply, diversifying imports, and hardening critical infrastructure against disruption. These efforts were essential. They reflected a growing recognition that dependence on hostile or unreliable Read More…
Innovation as strategic capital NATO members are placing increasing emphasis on science, technology and industrial capability as part of collective defence. The recent commitment by allies to move toward defence spending of 5% of GDP, including higher levels of research, development and industrial investment, reflects a recognition that technological advantage affects deterrence, economic resilience and the ability to operate in contested environments. This shift Read More…
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), defined as an investment where a person or company from one country acquires 10% or more of the voting shares, or equivalent ownership of a business enterprise in another country, is central to Canada’s long-term competitiveness. Trusted, high-quality FDI strengthens economic resilience by anchoring supply chains, transferring technology, and building local Read More…
Harvard epidemiologist Caroline Buckee has warned that another pandemic is “just a matter of time.” The question is whether Canada and its allies will be better prepared when the next global health crisis arrives. One of the clearest failures of the global response to COVID-19 was the scramble for vaccines. In 2020, Canada lacked domestic Read More…
When Canada sanctions Russia, it’s about defending peace and security. When Canada sanctions Russia, it’s also about your bill at the gas pump and how Ottawa allocates your tax dollars. In 2025, Ottawa faces a strategic triangle: enforcing sanctions to uphold NATO and trans-atlantic unity, funding growing defence commitments, and keeping life affordable for Canadians. Read More…