The Canadian Navy: Torpedoed Again

Abstract

With the recent cancellation of its nuclear submarine acquisition program, a Canadian government once again has reneged on a major commitment to provide its navy with the capabilities to carry out its responsibilities. This article demonstrates that such reversals are typical of Canadian naval history, reviews the current state and future prospects of the Canadian navy, and reflects on the societal sources of Canadian defense policy in general and of naval policy in particular. It seems likely that for the foreseeable future the Royal Canadian Navy will lack the balance and the three-ocean capability that it has for so long been denied.