Understanding Canada’s New National Security Plan

For the first time in two decades, Canada has released a new national security plan, setting out its priorities at a pivotal moment of geopolitical change and a shifting world order. As Prime Minister Mark Carney seeks to diversify Canada’s international partnerships, strengthen domestic industries, navigate mounting pressure from the United States, and build a new alliance of middle powers, the plan signals a potential shift in how Canada approaches its security, and its role on the global stage, while reiterating its commitment to North American defense. To help unpack what the plan means, why it's being issued now, and its relevance for the United States, Americas Program Acting Director and Senior Fellow Christopher Hernandez-Roy is joined by Vincent Rigby, Americas Program Senior Adviser and Canada’s former National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister (2020–2021).