What did Canada and China actually agree to, and what did they leave unresolved? In this article, Michael Chen explores the economic logic of the trade reset and why connected-vehicle data and software screening remain the clearest security gap.
Security, Trade and the Economy
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.
Should CANZUK be a goal for Canada? Part 2: The Free Trade Angle
* The second in a three-part series Post-WWII planners accepted free trade as a hallmark of Western prosperity, in part as insurance against war due to the economic interdependence it fosters. However, this institution has not only been challenged, but in the eyes of some, proven to be the product of naive liberal utopianism, and is Read More…
Dealing with Defence: Canada’s Use of Economic Agreements as Instruments for Security
A tariff regime isn’t an act of war, and a supply-chain cut-off isn’t an invasion — even if they are coercive. In this article, Tyler Stevenson examines how Canada is responding to these threats through a new wave of comprehensive partnerships that treat trade as an extension of defence policy.
Reaching the 2% Goal: Canada’s Increased Defence Spending and Its Implications
For the first time since the end of the Cold War, Canada has achieved NATO’s 2% defence expenditure target under the leadership of Prime Minister Mark Carney. While the increase in spending does strengthen Canada’s credibility within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and supports domestic defence-related industries and employment, the 2% target does not measure actual military effectiveness. Can Canada convert higher defence expenditures into deployable capabilities, procurement reform, personnel increases, and reduced dependence on the United States?
The Canada Strong Fund and NATO Obligations: Is Canada Investing or Mortgaging?
As Canada simultaneously hits NATO’s 2% defence spending threshold and launches a debt-financed sovereign wealth fund, Kaya Dupuis asks whether Ottawa can credibly afford both. This article examines whether the Canada Strong Fund can serve as a genuine NATO defence-industrial asset, or whether its borrowed foundation will undermine the very commitments it is meant to support.
Trade Law and the Coordination of Security-Based Trade Measures
As economic security becomes increasingly central to international policymaking, trade law is being reshaped by sanctions, export controls, and other security-based economic measures. In this article, Hassan Ahmed examines how the WTO’s national security exception has evolved from a narrow safeguard into a more routine justification for strategic economic action, and how allied states increasingly coordinate such measures through informal alignment rather than unified legal frameworks. Using examples ranging from semiconductor export controls to sanctions coordination following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the article explores the growing intersection of trade law, strategic competition, and alliance politics, including the implications for middle powers such as Canada.
Complement or Challenge to Transatlantic Security? Reassessing Europe’s Role in NATO
As Europe advances its pursuit of strategic autonomy, questions are emerging about the future of NATO and transatlantic security. Can a more independent Europe strengthen collective defence, or risk fragmentation? This article explores how alignment and coordination will shape the future of Western security.
The Economics of Trump’s War: A Closer Look at Suspicious Market Trading
Rising oil prices, shifting markets, and geopolitical tensions have left most individuals struggling from the impacts of the Iran War. However, some have reaped the benefits from trading with stocks, futures, and prediction markets. Author Esha Grewal takes a closer look at the broader security impacts from individuals profiting off the war.
Who Pays for Defence? Canada, NATO and the New Architecture of Defence Spending
As NATO allies commit to spending 5% of GDP on defence by 2035, Kaya Dupuis examines how Canada plans to finance its most ambitious military commitment since the Cold War and whether a new multilateral bank can succeed where Victory Bonds once did. Can capital markets do what kitchen-table patriotism once accomplished?
Truly Transatlantic: German-Norwegian Submarines for a European-Oriented Canada
Like much else in the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Navy’s submarine fleet is rapidly aging out. The RCN’s second-hand Victoria-class diesel-electric submarines, built for the Royal Navy in the 1980s, will reach the end of their service life in the 2030s. The four Victoria-class submarines are already showing signs of their age, having become Read More…