OTTAWA — In an effort to pivot away from Canada’s overreliance on the U.S., Prime Minister Mark Carney is looking to Europe to build new security alliances and a new defence industrial strategy that could see European-designed fighter jets built in this country.
But two Canadian sources told the Star that prospect is only a possible implication of what Carney has set in motion after he ordered a review of the F-35 purchase plan, and travelled to Paris and London after discussing with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen his goal to see Canada be a player in the new drive to “rearm Europe.”
EU shuts Britain out of €150bn rearmament fund
A defense commitment to Brussels seems to be the price of admission.
This sounds like the first move in preparation of the end of NATO and US participation in Europe’s defense?
The thing is Canada doesn’t have much by way of armed forces. No European country does, collectively they could be a reasonably formidable force assuming the will to fight exists.
But it makes no sense for a lightweight like Canada to be signing up to defend Brussels absent the protection of the US umbrella.
I bet Brookfield is scoping opportunities however.
