Canada is at a pivotal moment. Building a strong defence sector, one that reinforces our economic sovereignty, will take more than one solution or one organization. Events like DEFSEC West make that clear. Getting this right depends on collaboration across the entire ecosystem. Au Canada, la défense se construit collectivement : grâce aux personnes, aux partenariats et à un écosystème uni autour d’un objectif stratégique commun.
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend DEFSEC West in Alberta on behalf of BDC. The conference was exceptionally well attended, underscoring the growing momentum and collaboration within Canada’s defence and security ecosystem. It was encouraging to see strong representation from industry, government, and partners, all focused on advancing sovereign capabilities and supply chain resilience. Events like DEFSEC West play an important role in connecting ideas, talent, and capital across the defence landscape. The conversations reinforced how critical innovation, scale, and readiness are for Canadian firms looking to support domestic and allied needs. Thank you to the organizers and participants for delivering a highly relevant and impactful event. Francis Canieau, CPA, Peter Dawe, Elise Dedekam, Lisa Christensen, Alex Averiss, Rick Bruce, Guillaume Bédard, ICD.D, Eliane Rouben, Ryan McFarland, Pamela Pilsner, David Quick, Myriam Girouard, Luke Helland, Alexander Zivkovic, Devesh D.