The Canadian Defence Gold Rush

Prime Minister Mark Carney wants to turn Canada into a defence powerhouse — and venture capital is racing to cash in. Host Sam Konnert talks to defence experts and industry insiders about the new military-tech gold rush, and asks: can Silicon Valley mentality fix Canada’s stagnant defence sector, or are we scaling up its worst instincts?

CORRECTION: at the 26 minute mark, the reporter mistakenly says Christiane Fox was questioned by Conservative MP Damien Kurek before the public accounts committee. In reality, Fox was questioned by Conservative MP Ned Kuruc.

Host: Sam Konnert

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Guests: Philippe Lagassé, Samuel Witherspoon, Hugo Hodgett

Background reading:

• Prime Minister Carney launches Canada’s first Defence Industrial Strategy to strengthen security, create prosperity, and reinforce strategic autonomy
• Defence tech upstart Dominion Dynamics takes aim at the U.S. giants supplying Canada – The Logic
• The defence-tech gold rush is testing the limits of venture capital – The Logic
• Canada's $1-trillion defence commitment: whose future are we defending? – The Hill Times
• Meet Eliot Pence, the man turning Canada’s defence procurement upside down – Be Giant
• Deputy minister says she was 'advancing diversity' when she hired acquaintance – Ottawa Citizen

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