www.vanguardcanada.com JUNE/JULY 2019 45
the last WoRD
BY CapT(N) iaN paRkER (RET'd)
Mahan, inteGration/unification and
O
n May 3, 2012, Prime Min-
ister Harper stated at the
dedication of the Royal Ca-
nadian Navy Monument:
"Canada is a maritime na-
tion, a maritime nation with trade, com-
merce and interests around the world."
Mahan, a noted naval strategist and histo-
rian, in his Principles of Seapower outlined
six major principles that determine whether
or not a nation is a maritime nation, name-
ly: geographical position, physical confor-
mation, extent of territory, size of popula-
tion, character of the people, and character
of the government. Although Canada was
created, nurtured and protected by two
maritime powers and meets most of Ma-
han's principals, Canada lives in a maritime
world but is not a maritime nation.
This article will argue that the character
of Canadian governments, Mahan's sixth
principal, over time, has ensured that the
process to deliver government shipbuild-
ing programs is weighted against success
and prevents Canada maturing into a mari-
time nation.
Mahan spoke to government's influence
in peace and in war. In peace, government
policies can either favour or hinder the
growth of its industries. Naval Shipbuild-
ing, viewed by Canada's major allies, is a
vital part of a nation's strategic industrial
base – an industrial base that consistently
designs and builds complex warships, one
of the most complex endeavours under-
taken by a government. Canada's National
Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) has the po-
tential to grow a strategic and innovative
industrial base, but experience tends to
indicate that government shipbuilding in
Canada may well remain a political tool –
as evidenced by the latest government an-
naval pRoCuREMEnt
HMCS WHITEHORSE. Photo: Canadian Armed Forces
