The podcast discusses Canada’s plan to build a more self-reliant, made-in-Canada defence industry, following the federal government’s goal of purchasing 70% of military equipment domestically within a decade. The discussion looks at whether Canada has the companies, technology, workforce and industrial capacity needed to achieve that goal, as well as the changes required to Canada’s defence procurement system.

Bernard Mills, Kraken’s Executive Vice President of Defence, discusses how Canadian companies can contribute to the country’s defence capabilities.

The DIS really gives that catalyst and gives that mandate for culture change in the conversation between Canadian governmental agencies and Canadian defence and security industry so that we can actually see Canadian technologies—and there are world-class technologies in this country—be adopted at a larger scale and brought into service by the Canadian Armed Forces. 

Kraken is presented as an example of a Newfoundland-based company that has developed advanced technology and successfully brought it to international markets. Mills emphasizes that Canada already has significant technological capabilities and needs to do a better job of developing and commercializing them domestically. 

We really need to become a country that is self-reliant, and that focuses on the amazing technologies that we have here and brings them to market in a significant way.

He also focuses on the importance of long-term defence projects which would help create the skills and industrial base needed to support Canadian defence capabilities over the long-term.

It’s not good enough just to raise project teams in the short-term that then dissipate for single projects. What we want is those long-term projects so that there is almost a generational building of skills and infrastructure in Canada that can be used to strengthen the country and make us less reliant and less dependent on other nations around the world.

Mills also emphasizes that the relationship between government and the defence industry needs to change. The industry needs to better understand the problems the Canadian Armed Forces are trying to solve, while government agencies need to engage Canadian companies earlier in the process.

It’s on us, as an industry, to ask the right questions to build solutions that are aligned with the Canadian Armed Forces’ needs.