2025 Year in Review: Is Canada Prepared for the Threats & Challenges Ahead?

From the re-election of U.S. President Donald Trump to the Defence Investment Strategy, Budget 2025, the CPSP downselection, Canada’s integration into ReArm Europe, and this summer’s NATO Summit announcement that Canada would meet the 2% GDP target for defence spending, General Tom Lawson, Wendy Gilmour, and Dr. Rob Huebert joined the season finale of The Expert Series to reflect on the most consequential defence and security developments of the year and offer a threat assessment for 2026.

The panel discussed this year’s rise in Canadian defence spending and the establishment of the Defence Investment Strategy; the impact of global developments such as the uncertainty of U.S. foreign policy under President Trump; the need to modernize Canada’s military capabilities, rebuild personnel, and strengthen the defence industrial base; as well as the necessity of pursuing strategic autonomy and diversifying partnerships with Europe and other like-minded nations.

Central to the discussion was President Trump’s return to office, which has upended longstanding assumptions underpinning Canadian security and has raised questions about U.S. reliability as an ally. The panel examined the U.S. National Security Strategy and the potential long-term implications for Canada and the broader democratic world.

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

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