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.
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…
Imagine a coordinated cyberattack takes down the Port of Vancouver’s logistics systems. Ships can’t unload. Trains can’t be loaded. Grain shipments to Asia stop dead, and critical imports can’t get through. This scenario illustrates the kind of real-world threat that NATO now considers a core security challenge, compelling Canada and its allies to rethink the Read More…
Canada is facing severe challenges. As bilateral relations deteriorate and international alliances rapidly shift, Canada must reassess defence priorities. Canada needs to start by aligning with the European Union and defence preparation in the Arctic. Long seen as an afterthought, northern borders are a key battleground for resources, trade and influence. Unaddressed global warming is Read More…
Below is the NATO Association of Canada’s publication on increasing Canada’s defence spending, with contributions from leading experts. Line of Defence: A Policy Agenda for Canada’s Defence Capabilities
In June 2025, during the NATO summit in The Hague, the alliance agreed to a massive increase in defence spending, committing to reach the 5% goal by 2035. This article examines why Canada and the EU must match their rhetoric with resolve and highlights effective avenues for achieving higher defence investment.
In his newest article, James Lautens explores why NATO should focus on building stronger relationships in the Indo-Pacific and what opportunities can be derived from such an investment. He argues that by investing in and cooperating with the democracies in the region, NATO can curb the influence of Russia and China, who are increasingly challenging the rules-based international order.
Despite vocally supporting Ukraine, between February 2022 and February 2025, NATO countries paid more to Russia for energy imports than they provided in aid to Ukraine. This article analyzes the limits of NATO’s strategic decoupling from Russian fossil fuels and proposes concrete steps the alliance as a whole, and Canada in particular, should take to tackle this problem.
The Situation The Middle East currently stands on the brink of cataclysm due to the extraordinarily tense stand-off between Israel and Iran, largely centering around Iran’s nuclear status. With the situation still very much in flux, a key question persists: Will the ongoing hostilities escalate into a broader conflict, or will diplomatic negotiations lead to Read More…