Let's talk about Prime Minister Carney talking about Golden Dome

Mark Carney has spoken today on previous reports about the Golden Dome. He reiterates that his government takes the issue of BMD seriously. He says the government is investigating it and has had high-level negotiations on the matter. He also reiterates the F35 review is still ongoing.

He also speaks on ReArm Europe. He says that discussions are still ongoing. Nothing new here. Same stuff as before about building relationships, expanding domestic supply, etc.

He reiterates that the old relationship is done. He reiterates that we will strike deals with others. He says that he aims to pursue the best options, that the era of further integration is over and that cooperation will come when necessary, such as Golden Dome, but won't be garunteed.

He does take the time though to reaffirm that he believes the Golden Dome is a good idea. Of course this is a major shift in Canada’s longstanding policy against involvement in Ballistic Missile Defence.

He does raise the issue of sovereignty and Canadian involvement. One big concern that many will have in this is how much say amd control Canada has in the system. He says Canada needs to be more proactive, and needs the ability to intercept missile threats, not just detect them.

This is basically the death blow to the previous Ballistic Missile policy, with Carney outright saying that we need to decide not if we will, but if we do this with or without the United States.

Of course IAMD has been a hot topic the last few years. This isnt a new concept. CAF has been investigating what this would look like for a while and plans/concepts have been actively in the works and being drawn up.

There are some things to be discussed and roles to be figured, but the policy has been hanging by a thread for a while. This basically gives the Coup De Grace. Canada needs an anti-ballistic missile capability amd we are seemingly prepared to go it alone if needed.

Of course theres no real details here, not that you shpuld expect any from what is the start of negotiations. Its very clear both sides support cooperation of this file. What does that look like? We dont know.

I dont trust Golden Dome. I will say that right now with certainty. I dont trust the current administration to handle it. I dont like the idea of letting the Americans control our options and choices on this file. I dont like the uncertainty of knowing what control we have. Do we have any? Or is this just paying for protection eith no say or input on what happens.

All of these, and more need to be answered before I consider this. Theres also cost. It is very easy for such a project to escalate and become a financial strain. Already the project, with its hundreds of billions of dollar price tag over twenty years is looking to be a major drain of the defence coffers.

Can we take the risk of a project that might tie down our funding, with only token say in the system? Is it worth the risk at the potential expense of other projects, when we already have tens of billions of projects on the docket?

I dont like it. Its suspicious. I await true judgement though until the details come out. I do agree that we need an Integrated Air and Missile Defence system. That will be expensive on our own, and we will bear it, but it will be ours.

Yet not jumping in risks losing out both in the decisions to be made and the economic benefits to be had by Canadian companies. Inherently, I dont trust it, but the death of our dumbfounded ABM policy is welcomed.

For decades we have refused to play the full role in BMD, even to the detriment of our safety and I am glad to see it die. That is one good to be taken in all of this.