Playing Defence

In this urgent and wide-ranging episode of Secure Line, Stephanie Carvin and Leah West tackle the growing uncertainty in Canada’s defense posture amid escalating rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump. With Jessica Davis away this week, they’re joined by defense and security expert Philippe Lagassé to unpack what it all means for Canadian sovereignty, NORAD, and our military's future.From Justin Trudeau’s stark warning about Trump’s threat to Canadian sovereignty to the challenges facing the Canadian Armed Forces—aging equipment, recruitment struggles, and a reliance on U.S. systems—this episode dives deep. Lagassé explains how Canada’s “plug and play” model of defense has left us vulnerable and what a real path to military independence might look like (spoiler: it’s generational).They also discuss the 2024 defense policy update, the Arctic, NATO, the F-35, and whether the political class is ready to meet this historic moment. As Canadian defense policy gets dragged from the margins to the headlines, this episode is a must-listen for anyone trying to understand what’s next.What happens when the U.S. treats Canada like the Global South? What should the Canadian Armed Forces actually be for? And are we ready for the hard choices ahead? This is one of the most important episodes of the season.