Midweek podcast: Charting a new course for Canada and its military

Canada's new defence policy coupled with Foreign Affairs MinisterChrystiaFreeland'saddress to Parliament this week show this country is moving into a post-American phase, says StephanieCarvin, a former national security analyst, as well as an assistant professor at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University.

• More soldiers, ships and planes for military in Liberal defence plan
• Read Canada's Defence Policy (PDF, 31MB)

On Wednesday, the Liberal government revealed its new defence policy, which lays out a plan to increase the defence budget by 70 per cent over the next decade to $32.7 billion, amixture of new and previously committed money.

The details of the new policy were released the day after Freeland'sspeech to the House of Commons. While never mentioning Donald Trump by name, Freelandrejectedmany of the U.S. president's policies, including the withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, imposing protectionist trade policies, and closing the nation's doors to refugees.

"What was so kind of astonishingabout [Freeland's speech] was the fact that it was actually basically stating what the new context is for the world and that is an America that no longer seeks to be the guarantor of civility and the guarantorof the rule of law," Carvintold Chris Hall, host of CBC Radio's The House.

She argued for thepast 70 yearsCanada has benefited from the U.S.'s lead on the world stage,propping up international institutions, forums and even trade.

"What's scary about this new world order is if America isn't there to guaranteeall of these good things will Canada stillbe able to thrive?"

The long-anticipated review also calls for a slight increase in the size o f the military, both regular and reserve forces, and amodest increase in the size of the special forces.

"I felt like the speech was Pearsonianismmugged by reality," she said.

Click on the podcastlink to hear more from Stephanie Carvin and a debrief with CBC's defence and foreign policy specialist Murray Brewster.