Canada’s conversation about new submarines is failing to ask the most important question
Prime Minister Mark Carney's decision to begin negotiations with Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems for up to 12 new submarines has been welcomed as a long-overdue step toward replacing Canada's aging Victoria-class fleet, but Rob Huebert, a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and professor at the University of Calgary, argues the government has not explained why the German design is the best choice for combat. Huebert notes that military capability — not economic or industrial benefits — should be the primary factor in selecting submarines, and says Ottawa has not provided evidence that the proposed fleet offers the strongest war-fighting performance. Huebert also warns that years of procurement delays mean Canada is unlikely to receive its first new submarine until the early 2030s, raising concerns that the country may struggle to keep pace with growing security threats from Russia and China.
