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Canada to Join US Missile Defence System Despite Trade Tensions and Dependence on Washington

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Canada has initiated talks with the US to join President Donald Trump's proposed "Golden Dome" missile defence system, a move that comes amid a bruising trade war and Prime Minister Mark Carney's promise to reduce Ottawa's dependence on Washington.

The talks, which are ongoing, aim to strengthen the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) and related initiatives such as the Golden Dome, a plan to expand the US's defences against missile and drone attacks. The system would connect the US's existing missile defences and expand them, including with new defences in outer space.

Key Takeaways:

  • Canada has expressed interest in joining the Golden Dome missile defence system, despite ongoing trade tensions with the US.
  • The talks are connected to the modernization of NORAD, a binational airspace surveillance system established in 1958.
  • Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged to reduce Canada's dependence on Washington, following the US's imposition of tariffs as part of its global trade war.
  • The prospective cooperation comes as US President Donald Trump continues to impose tariffs on Canada, despite a friendly first meeting between the two leaders.
  • The Golden Dome system would be operational in 2½ to three years, according to President Trump, with an estimated cost of US$500-billion over two decades, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Statistics:

  • US$25-billion: Prospective funding for the Golden Dome system, as touted by President Trump.
  • 2½ to three years: Estimated operational timeline for the Golden Dome system, according to President Trump.
  • US$500-billion: Estimated cost of fully building the Golden Dome system over two decades, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
  • 2 per cent: NATO's 11-year-old target for defence spending as a percentage of GDP, which Canada has not met.
  • 87 years: Duration of Canada's involvement in NORAD, dating back to 1958.

Sources:

  • "Trump says Ottawa is seeking to join the project despite Carney’s promise to reduce reliance on Washington" by Globe and Mail.

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