shockedcanadian
Diamond Member
- Aug 6, 2012
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Now the big players are weighing in.
This can't be good.
Canadians don't care too much about the military procurement, we just want competition for banking/loans, cellphone plans etc.
As Canada faces steep tariffs, military spending pressure and annexation threats from the U.S., a major American arms manufacturer wants to change Canada’s procurement practices. A Tennessee surveillance company is hoping to expand its Canadian border security contracts as the White House criticizes Canada’s border efforts. And online gambling companies want B.C. to follow Ontario and Alberta and open up online betting to private operators.
As Canada faces pressures on U.S. tariffs and defence spending, a major American military supplier is lobbying about procurement reform. American arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin has updated its federal lobbying registration to include "communications with the Government of Canada to support the design and implementation of the defence procurement reform initiative." Lockheed Martin is the largest American supplier for all Canadian federal government contracts by dollar value, according to a recent IJF analysis, with more than $11 billion in deals over the last decade. That includes a high-profile agreement to provide F-35 fighter jets for the air force. But defence procurement in Canada has a long history of moving slowly while costs escalate.
A number of federal government agencies have launched a review of how Canada procures its defence equipment to make the process faster and improve maintenance and upgrades. The Standing Committee on National Defence released a report in June 2024 noting that despite the introduction of the National Shipbuilding Strategy in 2010 and a Defence Procurement Strategy in 2014, “challenges continue to affect the delivery of major weapon systems and other military equipment.” The report includes a list of recommendations for reforming defence procurement, with a major focus on developing and supporting domestic suppliers. Lockheed Martin’s updated registration comes as Canada scrambles to boost defence spending to two per cent of GDP, a policy target for NATO members.
Defence procurement with American firms like Lockheed Martin has become a particularly hot topic of conversation in light of Trump’s tariffs and threats of annexation. Liberal leadership frontrunner Mark Carney has pledged to pivot away from directing most defence dollars to the U.S., instead focusing on spending that money in Canada. At the same time, billionaire Trump advisor Elon Musk has threatened to gut the F-35 program, raising questions about the future of Canada’s fighter jet deal. Lockheed Martin did not respond to a request for comment. Public Services and Procurement Canada did not comment directly on the company’s lobbying. However, a department spokesperson told the IJF in an email that in terms of future procurement with U.S. firms, “all options remain on the table as the government considers additional measures, including non-tariff options, should the U.S. continue to apply unjustified tariffs on Canada.”
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This can't be good.
Canadians don't care too much about the military procurement, we just want competition for banking/loans, cellphone plans etc.
As Canada faces steep tariffs, military spending pressure and annexation threats from the U.S., a major American arms manufacturer wants to change Canada’s procurement practices. A Tennessee surveillance company is hoping to expand its Canadian border security contracts as the White House criticizes Canada’s border efforts. And online gambling companies want B.C. to follow Ontario and Alberta and open up online betting to private operators.
As Canada faces pressures on U.S. tariffs and defence spending, a major American military supplier is lobbying about procurement reform. American arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin has updated its federal lobbying registration to include "communications with the Government of Canada to support the design and implementation of the defence procurement reform initiative." Lockheed Martin is the largest American supplier for all Canadian federal government contracts by dollar value, according to a recent IJF analysis, with more than $11 billion in deals over the last decade. That includes a high-profile agreement to provide F-35 fighter jets for the air force. But defence procurement in Canada has a long history of moving slowly while costs escalate.
A number of federal government agencies have launched a review of how Canada procures its defence equipment to make the process faster and improve maintenance and upgrades. The Standing Committee on National Defence released a report in June 2024 noting that despite the introduction of the National Shipbuilding Strategy in 2010 and a Defence Procurement Strategy in 2014, “challenges continue to affect the delivery of major weapon systems and other military equipment.” The report includes a list of recommendations for reforming defence procurement, with a major focus on developing and supporting domestic suppliers. Lockheed Martin’s updated registration comes as Canada scrambles to boost defence spending to two per cent of GDP, a policy target for NATO members.
Defence procurement with American firms like Lockheed Martin has become a particularly hot topic of conversation in light of Trump’s tariffs and threats of annexation. Liberal leadership frontrunner Mark Carney has pledged to pivot away from directing most defence dollars to the U.S., instead focusing on spending that money in Canada. At the same time, billionaire Trump advisor Elon Musk has threatened to gut the F-35 program, raising questions about the future of Canada’s fighter jet deal. Lockheed Martin did not respond to a request for comment. Public Services and Procurement Canada did not comment directly on the company’s lobbying. However, a department spokesperson told the IJF in an email that in terms of future procurement with U.S. firms, “all options remain on the table as the government considers additional measures, including non-tariff options, should the U.S. continue to apply unjustified tariffs on Canada.”
