Sunday March 16, 2025 | IQALUIT, NU [reporting from VICTORIA, BC]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The NDP by any poll’s measure is in third place for results in the upcoming 2025 federal election behind the Conservatives and Liberals, or even fourth place if including support for the Bloc in Quebec.
But the NDP party often seems to punch above its weight, bringing people-first thinking to directions that government might take. Pushing for CERB during the pandemic, or the dental plan and child care after that, would be cases in point.
Now in the face of pressures on Canada’s national secure in the context of the economic warfare being waged by the United States on Canada, protection of the Arctic region is an obvious point of concern for all Canadians.
Build jets in Canada:
Today in Canada’s north, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh announced the NDP plan to see that Canada’s F-35 contract is repatriated as part of a plan announced a plan for new investments in Arctic sovereignty and defence.
He wants to see that the jets are built in Canada, not the United States; he’s worried how a fighter-jet contract with the United States would make Canada reliant on software updates and maintenance from the United States.
A few days ago, Minister of Defence Bill Blair said Canada’s new prime minister Mark Carney has asked for a review of military jet options — including whether the jet of choice must be F-35.
Payment for the first 16 aircraft (of 88 in a June 2023 contract with U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin) has already been made by Canadam for delivery of the war planes by early 2026. The full purchase would be $19 billion.
Why F-35? “It was the fighter jet identified by our air force as the platform that they required, but we are also examining other alternatives — whether we need all of those fighter jets to be F-35,” said Blair on CBC on March 14.
Singh says Saab could build their F-39 Gripen in Canada, said Singh today. The newest and fastest fighter on offer, Gripen was built for Canada’s climate conditions and strategic requirements. Built and maintained
He pointed out that marine aircraft produced by Canadian jet manufacturer Bombardier could instead by procured from Boeing which is an American company with a Boeing division in Canada
Building military equipment in Canada would create jobs here, Singh emphasized today.
Defence spending:
The NDP hopes to see defence spending increase to two percent of Canada’s GDP by 2032, with an emphasis on making investments that support Canadians, communities, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and Veterans.
US President Trump has complained for years that Canada has not been meeting its two percent of GDP obligation for military expenditure. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau always countered with noting that Canada contributes in other – mostly more peaceful – ways, such as military training in eastern European.
For the NDP, defence spending would include a commitment to build 5,000 new affordable homes to end the military housing shortage.
Enhancing infrastructure in the north goes hand in hand with that, Singh told media today.
About Nunavut:
Nunavut was established as a distinct Canadian territory in 1999 but has been part of Canada for over 100 years while of course the Inuit have lived in Nunavut for thousands of years.
The current population is about 33,300 across 25 communities. Mining, technologies and economic development are the key employment opportunities.
Why the military boost:
“The world is less safe and predictable today than it has been for decades. Canadians expect our military to be capable of protecting Canadians at home and contributing to a safer and more peaceful world,” said Singh.
“Too often we have left our Armed Forces without the equipment they need, without the supports they deserve. It’s time to change that – to recruit, protect and respect Canadian Armed Forces members.”
US President Donald Trump has been insisting (for years) that Canada meet its two percent military expense obligation to NATO. It should be noted that the USA is not really focusing on the NATO alliance (mostly European and Commonwealth countries) but taking the US on its own course.
Shifting away from US dependence:
In the past week or two, the United Kingdom is taking the lead to organize ‘the coalition of the willing’ which currently looks to expand preparations for a post-truce Ukraine but also sets the stage for an alliance that does not inclue the US in other matters.
Singh has called for the upcoming G7 meeting in Alberta this summer to not include an invitation to US President Donald Trump.
“At a time when Donald Trump has threatened not just workers and jobs, but Canada’s very sovereignty, it’s a matter of national security that our defence technology not be controlled by the United States. That’s why we’ll repatriate the F-35 contract, and build the fighter jets Canada needs in Canada, using Canadian workers.”
If Canada buys its F-35s from the United States, that government will retain complete control of the software and hardware upgrades required for continued operations of the planes – a strategic vulnerability that could even ground the jets, Singh points out.
Recently it became known that the US military is undertaking procurement of Canada-made winter boots. This seems to be a worrisome flag of US intentions or at the very least another example of Canada’s blind dependence on a much larger economy and in this case preparing a possible adversary against our own country.
Marine search and rescue:
Singh said new defence spending will also include protecting Canada’s Arctic sovereignty by building new marine search and rescue stations – including in central Nunavut.
That would include building new small craft harbours, and enhancing the capacity of the Canadian Rangers, ensuring Rangers are properly compensated and reimbursed in a timely manner for the use of their own equipment.
Salaries, equipment and communities:
Singh said an NDP government’s investments in defence spending will also include giving soldiers a raise, buying new equipment to keep them safe and providing health care and mental health care to CAF members and Veterans without waits.
Protecting Canada’s Arctic sovereignty must include investments in Northern communities and Northerners, says Singh. That would include better schools, more reliable power, and improved health care throughout Canada’s Arctic, as well as investments in housing—starting with supporting the Nunavut Housing Corporation Nunavut 3000 plan.
Priority on people:
“Protecting Canada’s Arctic means first and foremost making investments in Indigenous people and Arctic and territorial communities. Decisions about Canada’s Arctic need to be made through cooperation, consultation and consent,” said Singh. “Canada’s Arctic Sovereignty will require not only defence investments – but investments in the community and the people of the North.
The True North strong and free is a North where families have decent homes and access to the things every Canadian deserves – including good schools for our kids, and health care closer to home, and faster and easier to get.”
Upcoming federal election:
The 2025 Canadian federal election is officially scheduled for October 20, 2025 but it widely expected to be called next week for an election date in late April or early May.
This comes just days after Mark Carney becoming Canada’s new prime minister and appointing a leaner cabinet focused on economic defence and sovereighty.
===== RELATED:
- US military buying their boots from Canada (March 11, 2025)
- NDP leader says next G7 meeting should be a summit about Trump (March 6, 2025)
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