Carney’s “Buy Canadian” Policy Doesn’t Require Companies to Be Canadian
Canada’s recent Arctic military exercises have underscored a persistent weakness: while operations fly the Canadian flag, much of the equipment, infrastructure, and supply chains remain foreign-owned and controlled, write Erin O’Toole and Eliot Pence. They aregue Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new “Buy Canadian” defence policy undermines its own goals by allowing foreign multinationals to qualify as Canadian through local subsidiaries and by favouring loans over direct government procurement, limiting the growth of domestic ownership and intellectual property. They note that without prioritizing purchase orders and true national control, Ottawa risks reinforcing long-term dependence on allies rather than building genuine defence sovereignty.
