The Plan for a Stronger Canada: Naval Strategy

By Brian Santarpia, 31 October 2026

Richard Gimblett’s A Canadian Naval Strategy Reader makes an important contribution to the current discussion by placing Canadian naval strategy in its historical context. One of the lessons emerging from that history is the importance of a clear strategic framework at the national level to guide naval strategy. The RCN deserves credit for the work it has undertaken to develop a new strategy, the principles of which were introduced at the Canadian Sea Power Symposium in Calgary two weeks ago. The Government of Canada’s release yesterday of The Plan for a Stronger Canada: National Security for Canadians presents an important opportunity to build on that work. [see https://www.canada.ca/en/privy-council/services/publications/plan-stronger-canada/national-security-canadians.html]

The new national security strategy articulates Canada’s national interests and establishes a framework of supporting policies, including a forthcoming defence strategy. This creates an opportunity for the RCN to produce a naval strategy that is not simply an expression of naval institutional priorities, but a clear articulation of how naval power will advance Canadian national interests. Realizing that opportunity, however, will require a careful reading of both the national security strategy and the forthcoming defence strategy, and potentially some adjustment to the RCN’s draft before it is formally promulgated.

Some of the implications warrant particular attention. The national security strategy identifies “a cooperative, clear-eyed relationship with the United States” as a Canadian national interest. This is a more nuanced formulation than simply assuming that Canadian and American interests will always align, and it invites careful consideration of how the RCN should balance continental defence, alliance commitments and the preservation of Canadian strategic autonomy. Similarly, the identification of “stability and security internationally” as an interest, rather than explicitly identifying the rules-based international order as such, may have implications for how the RCN articulates its contribution to international security and the purposes for which it deploys naval forces.xpectations. Military experts slammed the policy for operating on ‘peacetime processes and mentalities’ despite a deteriorating global security environment. Commentators describe the update as ‘all flash, no bang,’ arguing it was merely a restatement of traditional approaches rather than an urgent pivot toward war-fighting readiness.

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Preview CNR Next Issue: Vol. 22 No. 2 (2026)

In his Editorial “The Art of Naval Thought,” Brian Santarpia notes that “the RCN dedicates relatively little effort to professional education in the foundations of strategic thought,” and that this is unfortunate. To start off the line-up of interesting articles, we have the winning essay of the 2026 CNMT essay competition. The author, C.A.M. Al Wahi, won with an impressive essay entitled “Vulnerable Arteries: Protecting Critical Subsea Infrastructure and the RCN’s Mandate.” Our second article, “A Submarine-First Royal Canadian Navy?” argues that, as Canada’s main strategic asset, submarines should receive more focus in the RCN. Our third article, “Slow Procurement is Canada’s Greater Risk,” outlines problems and solutions in the military procurement process from the perspective of a Canadian company. The next article, “Of Hulls and Sailors: Why Fleet Recapitalization Depends on Personnel Generation,” focuses on the importance of ensuring there are enough trained personnel as a crucial element of naval capability. The final article discusses HMCS Sackville and the ship’s recommissioning ceremony in the spring.   

We have a good selection of Making Waves commentaries. There is material about the future US Arctic Security Cutters, discussion of the importance of trained personnel, underwater surveillance in the Arctic, and suggestions about the design of Canadian amphibious forces.

And, of course, we have our regular columns. In “Allies of Necessity: Japan and South Korea,” “A View from the West” looks at the uneasy relationship between two key players in the Indo-Pacific region.  “Dollars and Sense” examines the shift from austerity to abundance in defence, and “Warship Developments” updates us on Tomahawks and aircraft carriers.  

No issue of CNR would be complete without the amazing photos! And there are many of them!

Stay tuned. In a few weeks, the issue will be available to people who are lucky enough to be subscribers! It’s not too late for you to subscribe. See here for the Table of Contents.

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