Tonight we take a hard look at Prime Minister Mark Carney’s ambitions for Canada’s national defence. Over the past several months, the Prime Minister has spoken forcefully about living in a world of predatory great powers, about rebuilding the Canadian Armed Forces, strengthening NATO commitments, and dramatically increasing defence spending — even doubling it by 2030..Those are goals that may surprise some viewers — because many conservatives, and many veterans of the Harper government, would agree with many of Mr. Carney's goals.But agreeing with the goals is not the same as believing they can be achieved, says Roy Rempel, former defence policy adviser to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Rempel, who was in post from 2010 to 2015, knows firsthand how difficult it is to translate political ambition into military capability — how hard it is to recruit, to retain, to procure equipment, and to cut through the bureaucratic thicket that slows everything down..He gives credit where credit is due. He acknowledges that raising pay, repairing aging equipment, and recognizing the seriousness of the global threat environment are steps in the right direction. But he also raises fundamental questions:Does the government have a clear defence strategy that identifies real threats?Does it understand what we can — and cannot — rely on our allies to provide?Is it prepared for the massive, sustained effort required to fill the capability gaps that have opened over the past decade?In short: Mr. Carney’s objectives may be sound. The question is whether he has the political will, the managerial focus, and the strategic clarity to bring them about.That’s our conversation tonight.
