In a speech to Canada’s Parliament in 1936, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King stated, “It is our duty, as well as our interest, to make it manifest that we will never be found among the number of those nations that menace the peace and security of the United States.”
This is as true today as it was then. It is forever in Canada’s best interest to be a reliable partner in ensuring the peace and security of the United States. For more than 65 years, Canada and the United States have defended their nations from external threats through the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
NORAD Must Evolve
NORAD has evolved – from dealing with Soviet bombers, to defending against cruise missiles, to responding to terrorist and unconventional threats over our homelands. But, as noted by General Glen VanHerck, NORAD’s previous commander, NORAD’s “defensive capabilities have not kept pace with the threat.”
In simple terms, NORAD can no longer effectively detect and destroy adversaries’ modern weapons. Canada and the United States are not well defended.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and annexation jokes have stirred up a national anti-America sentiment in Canada that undermines the relationship. Rumors that Trump has considered cancelling NORAD further hurt the possibility of effective cooperation. A recent poll found that 27 percent of Canadians view the United States as an “enemy nation.” Trump’s provocations and Canada’s hurt feelings present a real challenge to the special binational relationship under NORAD.
But Canada’s geographic position between the United States and her principle threats means NORAD must be at the center of both nations’ defense and deterrence strategies. Canada is the first line of defense against polar incursions by air, ice, land, or sea. Canada and the United States have a stake in one another’s security as a matter of geographical fact, and this will not be undone by temporary political friction.
In light of this, what does Canada need to do to ensure that NORAD remains effective and to assure a skeptical American president that Canada is a strong security partner? What are the modern threats that NORAD must improve its capabilities to meet?
As General VanHerck indicated, NORAD’s defenses have not grown to cover the range of threats facing the United States and Canada. These include advanced missiles launched from the air, ships, submarines, or ground launchers. These missiles have advanced navigation capabilities and greater range; they are equipped with electronic-warfare measures and stealth-like characteristics; in the case of hypersonics, they achieve much higher speeds.
Russia also threatens the United States with ballistic missiles, which can be launched from Russian territory or from ships and submarines. Those missiles would also pass over Canada and are the reason that NORAD performs a missile-warning role.
The maritime and submarine threats include both cruise and ballistic missiles. While NORAD ensures air defense against cruise missiles and plays a role in maritime warning for both Canada and the United States, fully countering these threats goes beyond air defense and maritime warning. It also includes maritime operations and ballistic-missile defense.
Sino-Russian cooperation, as seen in joint patrols of ships and aircraft on the fringes of U.S. and Canadian territory, is another emerging threat to North American security. In addition, there are also real threats posed by disinformation and other types of hybrid warfare.
The target sets have also evolved. Russia has demonstrated a willingness to target civilian populations and infrastructure, and as resources and supply chains in the two countries remain integrated, Russia could target Canadian infrastructure to wreak havoc in the United States. Securing Canada means securing the United States’ northern flank and is critically important to the defense of all of North America.
The Trump administration has taken these growing threats very seriously, leaning into improving the defenses of the United States, including through the executive order to build the Iron Dome for America.
As for Canada, it has been long known as the ugly stepchild of military spending in the alliance. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson famously derided Canada for “riding America’s coattails” on defense. Canada’s way ahead to improve its defense posture must start with significant and effective contributions to NORAD.
As a first step, Canada should rapidly deliver on its NORAD modernization program.
The program itself is sound and prioritizes valuable capabilities that are badly needed to defeat threats and deter adversaries. The plan lays out improvements to NORAD’s sensors, including new powerful over-the-horizon radars, as well as other classified and space-based sensor capabilities. The program provides greater airborne capabilities, such as modern air-to-air missiles and refueling aircraft; better infrastructure, such as hangars, runways, and structures to allow NORAD to operate in and from Canada’s Arctic; and communication systems that link Canadian NORAD operators to decisionmakers in Canada and the United States.
For these NORAD modernization initiatives, Canada announced a $4.6 billion investment in 2022 to update its NORAD capabilities, with an additional $36 billion to be paid over the next 20 years. A part of this was the recently announced over-the-horizon radar, a $6 billion investment.
While these are capabilities that are needed today, the programs as outlined won’t see delivery of many of these modernizations until 2030 and beyond. These timelines are simply not effective for NORAD to deter emerging threats. By 2030, NORAD will once again be “shooting behind the duck” – our adversaries will likely have adapted their capabilities, rendering defenses ineffective, once again.
In the past, Canada could count on a whole-of-department approach, led by the Privy Council Office, to fast-track procurement of key defense assets. This was the case, for example, when Canada was called on to scale-up to fight alongside the United States in Afghanistan.
While this method of procurement is not sustainable for modern defense programs, which are iterative and adaptive, it does demonstrate that the government of Canada can accelerate the acquisition process when urgently required. Whether Canada’s next prime minister is Mark Carney or Pierre Poilievre, he should immediately prioritize the accelerated development of NORAD’s operating capabilities and capacity commitments. Recognizing the failures of the current procurement and acquisition processes, the new government needs to disconnect NORAD modernization from overly bureaucratic and risk-averse legacy processes, and commit to delivering capabilities with the utmost speed.
Beyond accelerated NORAD modernization, Canada must participate in the ballistic-missile defense of North America. Whether in the context of 21st-century Integrated Air and Missile Defense, or with the advent of programs like Iron Dome, Canada must participate in the ballistic-missile defense efforts that will allow NORAD to remain relevant. A new Canadian government needs to appreciate the changing geopolitical environment, the reality of the evolving threats, and the seriousness of defense requirements, and get on board with ballistic-missile defense.
In a world of evolving threats, it is no longer satisfactory to update NORAD once every 40 years. A failure to continuously modernize NORAD would create a contemporary version of the Maginot line, the illusion of a defensive barrier. Canada needs to implement strategies that will provide the commander of NORAD with the resources necessary to maintain a sufficient level of deterrence and protection – and reassure the United States that Canada is serious about its defenses.
Canada and the United States do something that is unique in the world through NORAD. But NORAD must meet the threats that adversaries actually present. Our governments need to provide NORAD the ability to catch up and then to position itself for the future, deterring and defeating threats to Canada and the United States and their national interests. The United States is doing this with the Iron Dome initiative. Canada could do it by accelerating the delivery of NORAD modernization and adopting a strategy for its continual evolution, and by participating in the missile defense of North America.
If Canada’s next prime minister fails to quickly modernize NORAD, he will fail in his fundamental responsibility to uphold Canadian sovereignty, and will further violate the principle outlined by Prime Minister King in 1936: that Canada should never be the source of insecurity, or a threat to the peace of America.
About the Authors:
Lieutenant-General (ret.) Christopher Coates is the director of Foreign Policy, National Security and National Defense at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. He is the former Deputy Commander of NORAD.
Jamie Tronnes is the executive director of the Center for North American Prosperity and Security (CNAPS) in Washington DC.
Michael
April 21, 2025 at 3:46 pm
” U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and annexation jokes have stirred up a national anti-America sentiment in Canada that undermines the relationship.”
1. It doesn’t come across as joking. Especially not in the light of similar ”we must have” comments about Panama and Greenland.
2. Toss in the bs about ousting Canada from Five Eyes and the blatant lies about Ukraine and Canada (rightly) draws the conclusion that the US is no longer a trustworthy ally.
3. It is not Canada that is undermining the relationship. See (1) and (2) above. Frankly that is the ”Aw shucks I waz just jokin” crap that weaklings project when they get pushback on their bs.
Grow up.
waco
April 21, 2025 at 3:47 pm
Don’t woory, be halpy.
Cuz, canada soon gonna break up into several regions or states. So, just forget NORAD.
There’s the growing ‘foreign’ portion of canada’s current human population, especially the younger age generations.
That portion is expected to reduce canada’s indigenous people to earning the country’s official minority status even among their traditional areas.
In about twenty to thirty years’ time. Thanks, ottawa.
404NotFound
April 21, 2025 at 10:58 pm
Stop thinking about north america. Stop it.
Instead think about the many places of massacres conducted by US and/or allied forces & minions. Like gaza, today.
In march 1991, US forces committed a horrible terrible massacre in iraq.
In early 1991, US and allies waged the evil 1991 war in the mid-east, mainly over oil.
At end feb 1991, a ceasefire was declared. It was declared by hw bush himself.
But US forces led by general barry mcCaffrey penetrated 200 miles deep into Iraqi territory, despite the announced ceasefire, and laid a well-planned ambush. At rumaila, west of basra city.
As retreating Iraqi forces in a five-long column crossed into iraq from kuwait, mcCaffrey’s force opened fire.
It was a horrible terrible massacre. The Iraqi column contained not only military personnel, but also civilians, including children.
It was a bloodbath, similar to the many bloodbaths now taking place in gaza today. A real bloodbath. Forget north america. Ain’t ever no bloodbaths in there.
Michael
April 22, 2025 at 2:07 am
Wacko, projection again – that’s your very own rashka-paraska you are talking about. Implosion is coming 👍
russia isn’t russia anymore by the way. Not without belarus and Ukraine – historically it is muscovy in it’s current size.
Swamplaw Yankee
April 22, 2025 at 2:50 am
We have 2 authors who use immaculate rhetorical skills to avoid the bullseye.
What do the peers review? Hmm?
The real politic is that zero discussion of this matter is before the complete population of Canada. What political leader in Canada is even whispering any of the above NORAD morphology deficits? Yankee reader, there is a current federal election that is ongoing!
Is there a sociological or cultural study underway that documents this complete suppression in Canada of the above NORAD situation? Let’s hear about this data gold right now! The two authors openly deceive the Yankee inner beltway aquarium with a favourite futurist scam. Let the Yankee stay quiet now, as the miracle solution will magically manifest after the Canadian election.
Every candidate for the top job of poking with the current MAGA elite cabal knows that 99.99 % of Canadians do not give a shit about tax funding of NORAD. The winner of Canada will stonewall the MAGA elite cabal for a few seconds because: poof, the Yankee elections come nigh. The MAGA elite will be crippled and the Canadian winner will be in 100% power for 5 years, a long, long time.
The Yankee MAGA elite must vigourously speak up right now! Speak up NOW, as you will so very soon be a gone memory. And, the new leader will be so happy that the MAGA elite passes from sight like a hot stone thrown into a snowdrift: MAGA just instantly vanishes without any audible sound.
The Yankee inner beltway refuses to reveal the FSB + Han CCP cell penetration of Canada. The profound penetration of these 2 empires of Canada is painted as a fact of imparmanence and transcience! Gabbard, et al, all snore away this spy reality.
We used to see photo’s of Kim Philby at all those lefty pinkoe PEACE demonstrations. The files would be slammed shut as the facts would be abrogated by various mini minds that held that meeting in thralldom.
Today, we see the grandsons of Kim Philby inside Washington blaberring that PEACE is the fake issue griststone that should be chained around Trump’s neck. And, TRUMP has been fucked by the inner beltway Kim Philbies, who fear that Trump might actually figure out the slave sex trade history + needs of his buddy, Putin.
NORAD: Ha, hah, hahhh! Who in Yankee took the time to watch the 4 leadership brains that debated for the lead of CANADA? Even the topic of Ukraine was whitewashed with Potemkin Village discourse of Absolution. Every time the moderator tried to mouth the word Ukraine, the lefty pinkoe leader immediatedly diverted comments to free housing, free heathcare, free dentalcare, free CBC, free from any tax expenditure on defence. The Ukraine issue was shamefully reduced by all 4 to a quick blab as every talking head wanted to 100% avoid the MAGA elite demand for a 5% GNP for defence concept. Shit, the Ukraine sellout by the USA might cause some voters in Canada to think that the Canadians should make the election promise to tax dollar fund Ukraine to win. A huge percentage of voters in Canada are diaspora Ukrainians, voters who know the triple talk coming out of Trump shows Trump is cleverly set up to support the orc muscovite elite.
The Putin FSB + Han CCP undercover cells covered up in Toronto Canada the long-term Muslim Bin ladin cell that ran the 9-11 military blow. That is the current example, data for the casual 1945 reader. The inner beltway alphabet agencies refuse to document the extent in 2025 of this penetration of the North American continent.
The liberal promise in Canada is to double the huge tax paid budget of the CBC media cabal. The very well tax dollar paid cells inside this vicious leftie pinkoe msm monster will then control + vanish any data coming out of Canada. The CBC will fire any staff that dares to push inside the CBC the above issues: NORAD + tax funding of defence to 5%.
Yes, the above two authors do keyboard useful facts. But, the futurist con that a future PM, who denies the NORAD issue before the elections, will by magic tax fund NORAD after the elections. The Putin FSB and Han CCP cells will not allow such Yankee demands to surface in public after the election this month.
Any new federal tax income, say from oil resource sales, would fund a 5% GNP Canadian defence budget. But, no way! Make a wager. The free stuff for citizens is more important a political reality than Ukraine or NORAD. -30-
Swamplaw Yankee
April 22, 2025 at 3:36 am
An add-on: WACO has submitted comments for peer review that require attention. I speculate that the Yankee 1945 reader will have little exposure in Canada to his summations.
The WACO observation had more comment by the horse race leader at the recent TV debate. The Liberal head had a “verbal warning” that he self-issued on the topic of first amendment rights. The liberal “want to be head” cuddled up to the issue with a nod to the Israeli side of the Jewish-Muslim divide. Perhaps, the WACO time frame seems off. The Jewish-Muslim divide is on the public streets of Canada now, daily, since October 7th.
The genocide of Ukrainians by orc muscovite elite since 2014 was pushed off the public debate stage by this theatre.
The USA Doodle can see this physically. We watched, thru binoculars, a Muslim demonstration this last weekend in Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. These Muslim demonstrations pop-up frequently on the Canadian side. They are very visible, with flags, especially by average binoculars.
The alphabet agencies hiding inside the inner beltway need to reveal the connections that exist, particularly international ones. The Terrorists knew full well that the USA soil was to be avoided as hiding in full view in South Parkdale in Toronto was OK. Protection was negotiated in Moscow and Bin Ladin had the cover of the Putin FSB and Han CCP cell structures. 9-11 proved that the protection worked without interruption. Tax funded CBC reported 100% nothing quite successfully!
Should the Yankee base that is not penetrated with anti-constitution radicalism expect free, no-cost, helpful warnings from the Canadian agencies penetrated by the Putin FSB cell structures? That seems a topic ready for a conference.
Otherwise, prima facia, the comments from WACO might need robust expansion and/or extensive definition from the inner depths of the inner beltway alphabet agency aquarium. That hive of efficiency was so effective in Canada as the 9-11 Bin Ladin attack still proves! -30-
Jim Brown
April 23, 2025 at 10:48 am
Talking of really infamous spies, sleepers, moles and even the fictional Smiley, Bond and Bourne, one day Donald J Trump will eclipse them all. Why? Credible revelations from seven former KGB/FSB officers about Donald J Trump being a KGB agent or asset (codenamed Krasnov) since the 1970s were published recently on TheBurlingtonFiles website at https://theburlingtonfiles.org/news_2025.03.16.php.
The following KGB/FSB officers and defectors have disclosed (at great personal risk) that Donald Trump was a KGB/FSB agent or asset decades before he first became President of the USA: Yuri Shvets (KGB Major); Oleg Kalugin (KGB General); Alexander Litvinenko (assassinated FSB Officer); Viktor Suvorov (GRU Officer); Boris Karpichkov (KGB Major); Sergei Tretyakov (SVR Officer); and Alnur Mussayev (Kazakhstan’s KNB (National Security Committee) Chief). Perhaps things would have been different if Trump had read the enigmatic fact based spy thriller Beyond Enkription in TheBurlingtonFiles.
Craig Cruden
April 24, 2025 at 7:00 am
NORAD should be terminated. The United States has effectively become a quasi-enemy state and we realign our military security around NATO only (which potentially could end up being a European defense given America has indicated that they may not abide by Article 5). War (using Warren Buffet’s logic of Tariffs are a form of war) has already been declared on Canada, the tariffs were originally because of insecure borders and Fentanyl. However, it was never about that and that has been replaced with other strawman arguments about the reasoning… Hint: More Fentanyl flows north than south across the border. So if not that, the reasonable assumption given Trump and his minions statements (not only Trump and not a joke) — is that it is an economic war to soften Canada up for eventual takeover. America under Trump is more interested in being an ally of Russia than of their traditional allies which he treats as vassal states. The switching off of features in F-16s in Ukraine to support Russian ability to consolidate positions and expand them… shows us who America sees as their ally. We must reduce our exposure to the American military infrastructure because anything we buy from them could be disabled if our interests don’t align – which is exactly the situation we are in now. We should of course increase our defense budget to match the increased risk to enemy states. However, I have no illusion that we can eliminate our risk. What we have also learned is that paper agreements to do things such as giving up Nuclear weapons for agreements on security – are worthless. Ukraine gave up 1,500 nuclear warheads after signing such guarantees with United States and with Russia. Canada should also take it’s initial steps in developing it’s own nuclear military program… Do you think Ukraine would have been invaded if they had not given up their weapons? Obviously NO.
Swamplaw Yankee
April 26, 2025 at 5:37 am
The data shows that the Canadian population refuses to make defence an election issue. No leadership candidate speaks of the need for NORAD or NATO. No candidate brings up the 3, 4 or 5% GNP to be devoted to military needs of Canada.
Conversely, Peer Comment readers can correct the above.
The election is nigh. For the next five years Canada seems to be the Iceland of Nort America.
The unique factor is that a large proportion of Voters is of a Ukrainian heritage. The leadership candidates all mouth recognition of the existence of the war. None is willing to commit to a 4 or 5 year budget commitment of any sort. Ukraine is still in the position where a few pennies are thrown at Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora voters are appeased. When military hardware help from Canada would have counted for Ukraine, help came in penny loads, but marketed by politicians as if a fifty cent piece had been sent.
The leadership candidates use Ukraine as a tool. They pretend that Hockey is a metaphor. If Putin attacks Canada, patriots will seize their hockey sticks, helmets and pucks to march up the super highways to defeat Putin’s drones and missiles.
Meanwhile the inner state in Canada desire to seize every long gun, pistol or heavy calibre continues.
Trump, et al, knows that most North Americans have a Potemkin Village knowledge of Ukraine. Fleeting media clips do fill their memory and they have accumulated agit prop from the orc muscovite elite troll program. Putin knows that a few bucks from his FSB will convert huge numbers of Republican/conservative media leaders. A few million dollars a month and the lies of the orc muscovite elite are circulated inside the USA.
The best example is the unilateral Whackofff shill parrot stooges whose agit-prop is amplified at no cost by Yankee and International media.
Suddenly, the Trump free, no-cost giveaway gift to Putin’s oligarchs of ten years of free table top dancing by kidnapped Ukrainian children is approved by the MSM and general public. Human Trafficking in minors is seen as acceptable and they victims have no right for compensation and reparation. -30-