This Week in Defence (11/17/25): Sitting down with Vice-Admiral Topshee, General Dynamics enters DAME, CMS330 for Germany, A whole lot of Lobbying, Sweden, Rangers

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Happy Monday!

Its late tonight! This Week's edition was ALMOST the longest, but missed out by a few. We have A LOT of lobbying stuff this week, and a lot of news. We also got a chance to sit down with Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy.

It's gonna be a packed week this week. Its only monday and we already have a bunch of news! So, instead of me watsing time, lets jump right into it!

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News

• If you missed it, check out our sitdown eith Vice-Admiral Topshee, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy!

• Doug Guzman starts at Defence Investment Agency (DIA), RFP for CPSP released.

• Read up on the latest edition of CanadaxEurope!

• Also CanadaxIndo-Pacific, which is a thing! How cool is that!

• The latest edition of Steffan Watkins RCN Media and Public Awareness Update is up!

• South Korea Foreign Minister visits Bombardier Assembly Plant in Toronto

• Seaspan delivers fourth ship under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the Canadian Coast Guard's newest science research vessel

• SAAB CEO confirms discussions with Bombardier, gives more details on Canadian offer

• Canada’s Defence Awakening Still Sleeps Through Its Own Industrial Reality

• Let's talk with Noah (Special Mega Edition) (11/16/25): Lot's on CDC, Asterix, F-35 numbers, Victoria-class update.

• What of the Hero-class?

• Minister Sidhu welcomes German Navy $1-billion purchase of Canadian combat management system

• Joint declaration following the fourth Canada-European Union Joint Ministerial Committee Meeting

• Minister Anand meets with France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs

• Seaspan Shipyards partners with AYS Ship Repair to expand customer network

• Prime Minister Carney to visit the UAE and attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit in South Africa to deepen trade, technology, and defence partnerships

• Carleton University to Host Discussion on Europe and Canada’s Strategic Response to the Russia–China Axis

• Kraken Robotics Appoints BlueZone Group as Sales Representative for Australia and New Zealand

• Calian Announces First VENTURES Defence Partnership with TACTIQL

• NORDSPACE AWARDED $1M FROM CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY TO ADVANCE ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR ROCKET PROPULSION

• The Canadian Security Intelligence Service Director’s Annual Speech

• Where was Mr. Fuhr today? (11/14/25)

• Statement by the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, on Improvements to Canadian Armed Forces Compensation and Benefits

• Where was Mr. Fuhr Today? (11/14/2025)

• General Dynamics Land Systems teams with BAE Systems Hägglunds for Canada’s Domestic Arctic Mobility Enhancement Project

• Lockheed Martin Canada welcomes German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius

• Dominion Dynamics CEO Sees Defence as a Generational Opportunity for Canadian Entrepreneurs

• What Sweden can share with Canada about defence

• 22 Wing North Bay welcomes Canada’s Defence Minister

• BUILDING LAUNCH CAPABILITIES FOR CANADA AS NEW MONEY COMES IN

• Top general plans sweeping expansion of reserves for disasters, military attacks

• Canada’s 2025 budget delivers on defence spending – but the devil will be in the details

• Canada’s lost decade in foreign policy: Joe Varner for Inside Policy

• Canada in the running to headquarter new multinational defence bank

• Sovereignty and Security in the Canadian Arctic: Who Should We Be Wary of?

• AtkinsRéalis looks to seize on spending ramp-up for defence, major projects

• HMCS Ville de Québec celebrated after unique deployment

• Reading as Remembrance: Stories that Keep Service Alive

• Missile rearmament shows CAF logistical reach in the Indo-Pacific

• Canada and Latvia Lead NATO Threat Hunting Workshop in Riga

• Did you know fraud can hide in plain sight? Here’s how to spot it

• Strengthening the Defence Team – Taking action for National Addictions Awareness Week

• Defence Team International Day of Persons with Disabilities

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Project Updates

• The RFP for CHER bundles 1 and 6 have been updated with new Q&A

• The RFP for the Mid-Shore Multi-Mission (MSMM) Vessel design contract has been updated with new Documentation.

• The RFP for Deep Snow/Light Over Snow Vehicles has been updated with new documentation

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Lobbying Updates

• Raytheon International has filed a new record with David Pratt & Associates looking to showcase their products

• General Dynamics Ordnance & Tactical Systems Canada Inc has filed a new record with CFN Consultants looking to explore future contracts under the Munition Supply Program. Call me crazy but I think they have a good chance.

• Metro Supply Chain has filed a new record with Global Public Affairs looking to engage the Federal Government on their capabilities and how they can help the government in their efforts to build supply chain resilience

• Thales Canada has filed a new record with Tactix Government Relations and Public Affairs looking to engage on ITB policy and Thales contributions to it.

• GeoSpectrum Technologies has filed a new record with Samuel Associates looking to promote the company and it's offerings to the Federal Government

• Bell-Textron Helixopters has filed a new record with Parabellum Communication looking to emgage the Federal Government on policy, NTACS, supporting Ukraine and future opportunities with the RCMP.

• Roshel has filed a new record with Sandstone Group looking to engage the Federal Government on it's products and offerings borh domestically and International.

• Draganfly has filed a new record with Rubicon Strategies looking to engage the Federal Government on their Made-in-Canada UAS systems and technology for CAF, Ukraine, and the Government as a whole

• Vard Marine has filed a new record with Rubicon Strategies looking to engage the government on thr companies offerings as well as on building the Defence Industrial Base, particularly when it comes to leveraging existing shipyards and their assets

• Ontario Shipyards has filed a new record with Rubicon Strategies looking to engage the Federal Government on building the Defence Industrial Base, particularly when it comes to leveraging existing shipyards and their assets. They also wamt to introduce themselves at Team Vigilance as an option for the Continental Defence Corvette

• Airbus Helicopters Canada has filed a new record with Airbus Canada Limited Partnership (is this really a firm or should I count this as self-lobbying really?) looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple topics including the CCGs Polar Helicopter Project, NTACS, the RCMPs Rotary fleet renewal and TAXES

• Airbus Defence and Space Canada has filed a new record with Airbus Canada Limited Partnership looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple topics including Space, Cybersecurity and ingoing work with FWSAR

• Leonardo Canada has filed a new record with Sandstone Group looking to engage the Federal Government on the companies capabilities and offerings.

• Bombardier has filed a new record looking to engage the Federal Government on multiple different issues and topics.

• Hatch has filed multiple new communications detailing meetings with Steve Boivin, CRCN Topshee, and Peter Hammerschmidt

• Telesat has filed multiple new communications detailing meetings with Wendy Hadwen, Stefanie Beck, and Kendal Hembroff

• Raytheon has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Paula Folkes-Dallaire, Amanda Moir, Jeff Smyth, Steve Masson, and Thomas Regier

• ITPS has filed a new communication detailing meeting with Wendy Hadwen

• Anvil Intelligence has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Renée Filiatrault and Radey Barrack

• Boeing Canada has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Renée Filiatrault, Radey Barrack, and Andrew Green

• Airbus Defence & Space Canada has filed a new communication detailing meeting with Stefanie Beck. Airbus Helicopters also filed the same.

• Babcock Canada has filed a new communication detailing meeting with Vice-Admiral Topshee

• Leonardo Canada has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Secretary of State Stephen Fuhr and James Rourke

• Des Nedhe Development has filed a new communication detailing meeting with Quinn Rinke

• MDA has filed multiple new communications detailing meetings with Kendal Hembroff, Catherine Poulin, Wendy Hadwen and Ross Ermel

• Arctic Gateway Group has filed a new record detailing meetings with Robert Thompson, Philip de Grasse, and Jean-Marc Doucet

• Vancouver Shipyards has filed a new record detailing meetings with Blaine Duffey, Marc Baril, Nassima Zobir Bouguerba, and Siobhan Harty

• Irving Shipbuilding has filed multiple new communications detailing meetings with Renee Filiatrault and Vice-Admiral Topshee

• Saab Canada has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Heather Sheehy, Jamie Speiser-Blanchet, and Natasha Kim

• Vard Marine has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Andrew Green and Alexa Kalsatos. Ontario Shipyard has filed the same as their Vigilance partner. (I think their relationship is adorable)

• General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Mary-Rose Brown, Lisa Jorgensen, Mathew Hall, and Cory Pike

• Kongsberg Geospatial has filed a new communication detailing meetings with Judith Bennett, Martin Demers, Jonathan DeWolf, and Siobhan Harty

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Rumors & Speculation

• For what its worth I have not heard of any Gripen announcement planned for this week.

• I also have not heard anything on sole-sourcing GlobalEye.

• That all said, I was told to expect an announcement on something this week, maybe tied to the Sweden trip.

• While we will never get the RFP, the rumored CPSP requirements do apparently mandate a Long-Range Strike capability. There is healthy love in the navy for VLS, but it doesnt outright ask for it. Still no definitions there apparently on what Long-Range Strike looks like.

• We should be hearing soon on the Canadian Rangers Enhancement (CRE) Project. Reforms are in the works, have been a while. Some have asked me about it. We should hear more in the next few months. Focus will be on structure, mandate, and ensuring Rangers are able to fund the equipment they need to better conduct patrols. Also in the works is preliminary study on Arctic communications and sensor systems.

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