FEASIBLE BUT
THE QUIXOTIC QUEST FOR
IN APRIL 2024, CANADA RELEASED ITS
LONG-AWAITED DEFENCE POLICY UPDATE.
ENTITLED OUR NORTH, STRONG AND
FREE, THIS PLAN SOUGHT TO UPDATE THE
LIBERALS' 2017 DEFENCE POLICY IN LIGHT
OF GROWING CHINESE AGGRESSION AND
RUSSIA'S ONGOING WAR IN UKRAINE. ONE
OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED ELEMENTS OF
THIS REFRESH WAS THE URGENTLY NEEDED
SUBMARINE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM.
T
here was little of substance in
the update – with the docu-
ment committing only to "ex-
ploring options for renewing
and expanding Canada's sub-
marine fleet?"
1
– yet, the Prime Minister
turned heads in a press conference when
stated that "we are looking at all types" [of
submarines], implying that the government
may be considering a nuclear propulsion
option.
2
It is widely believed that the Prime
Minister misspoke, nonetheless, Foreign
Affairs Minister Joly made a similar remark
in June, in announcing the country's Arctic
policy refresh.
3
The result has been a small
– but noticeable – resurgence of interest in
a Canadian nuclear submarine capability to
replace the Victoria-class, which will reach
the end of its service life in the 2030s.
4
The allure of the nuclear option is easy
to comprehend. Larger vessels with near-
18OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2024 www.vanguardcanada.com
A N U C L E A R S U B M A R I N E
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