On this quiet Christmas night, as families across Canada gather around warm living rooms, share meals, exchange gifts, and enjoy the comfort of peace, it is easy to believe that this stability is permanent. It feels natural to assume that the calm we experience today will stretch effortlessly into tomorrow. But history, and the world around us, tells a different story. Peace is not a guarantee. It is a responsibility.
Canada is safe tonight , but safety is not a static condition. It is a living system that must be maintained, strengthened, and renewed. And in a rapidly shifting geopolitical environment, where global power balances are changing and conflicts are erupting in places once considered stable, Canada cannot afford complacency. The world is not the same as it was 10 or 20 years ago, and it will not be the same 10 or 20 years from now. The question is whether Canada will be prepared for that future.
This moment of peace is exactly when a country must invest in its resilience. Waiting until a crisis arrives is not strategy ,it is surrender.
A Lesson From Ukraine: Peace Can Disappear Faster Than We Imagine
Fifteen years ago, families in Ukraine celebrated Christmas much like we do today , with joy, with optimism, with a sense of normalcy. No one imagined that within a decade, their country would be thrust into a devastating war that would reshape an entire generation. Children who once played in schoolyards now grow up under air-raid sirens. Parents who once planned vacations now plan evacuations. A society that believed peace was permanent learned, brutally, that peace is only as strong as the institutions, alliances, and capabilities that defend it.
Canada is not Ukraine. But the lesson is universal: peace is fragile when a nation assumes it is permanent.
Geography alone does not protect a country anymore. Oceans do not stop cyberattacks. Distance does not deter hostile actors in the Arctic. And alliances, while essential, cannot replace national capacity. Shared defence umbrellas are valuable, but they are not substitutes for domestic strength.
Canada must learn from the world, not react to it after the fact.
Leadership Must Think 20 Years Ahead , Not Just to the Next Election
A country’s top leadership carries a responsibility that extends far beyond the next budget cycle or political contest. True leadership requires the ability to see 20 years into the future and prepare the nation for challenges that are not yet visible to the public.
Canada needs that long-term vision now more than ever.
The next two decades will define the global order of the 21st century. Nations are investing heavily in defence modernization, advanced research, energy security, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and space capabilities. Canada cannot afford to sit on the sidelines while others shape the future.
If we want our children ,and the children not yet born ,to enjoy the same peace and prosperity we take for granted today, we must act now. Not in five years. Not in ten. Now.
Strengthening Canada’s Defence Industry Is Not Warmongering , It Is Nation-Building
Canada’s defence industry is capable, innovative, and respected ,but it is underpowered for the demands of the modern world. A strong defence sector is not about preparing for war; it is about ensuring that war never reaches our shores. It is about deterrence, sovereignty, and the ability to protect our interests without relying entirely on others.
A modern defence strategy for Canada must include:
- A robust domestic defence manufacturing base
- Investment in advanced research and development
- Support for Canadian universities working on defence, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies
- Partnerships with allies on critical defence technologies
- A clear national strategy for Arctic security
- A modernized, well-equipped Canadian Armed Forces
These are not luxuries. They are necessities.
The Arctic: Canada’s Most Vulnerable Frontier
The Arctic is no longer a remote, frozen expanse untouched by global politics. Melting ice, new shipping routes, and increased interest from global powers have transformed the region into one of the most strategically important areas on Earth.
Canada’s Arctic is vast, rich in resources, and central to our national identity , but it is also exposed.
A 20,000-strong Arctic force, trained, equipped, and permanently stationed in the North, is not an ambitious idea. It is a realistic requirement. Without a credible presence, Canada risks losing influence over its own territory. Other nations are already expanding their Arctic capabilities at a pace we are not matching.
If we do not prepare now, we may face challenges in the Arctic for which we are not ready ,and readiness cannot be built overnight.
Economic Strength Is National Security
Defence is only one pillar of national resilience. Economic strength is another.
A strong economy funds strong institutions. It supports innovation. It gives a country the flexibility to respond to crises. And it ensures that citizens enjoy the prosperity that makes peace meaningful.
Canada must invest in:
- Local businesses that form the backbone of our economy
- Soft loans and support for small and medium-sized enterprises
- Research programs that keep Canada competitive in science and technology
- Universities that train the next generation of innovators
- A national strategy for advanced manufacturing
- A modern, independent space program
These investments are not expenses , they are the foundation of long-term national strength.
A Canadian Space and Defence Program for the 21st Century
Space is no longer a distant frontier. It is a domain of economic opportunity, scientific discovery, and national security. Countries that lead in space will lead in technology, communications, climate monitoring, and defence.
Canada has the talent, the institutions, and the history ,from the Canadarm to RADARSAT , to be a global leader. But leadership requires investment.
A modern Canadian space strategy should include:
- Independent satellite capabilities
- Space-based Arctic surveillance
- Partnerships with allies on lunar and deep-space missions
- Support for Canadian aerospace companies developing next-generation technologies
Space is not optional. It is the new high ground.
Faster Execution: Canada’s Chronic Weakness
Canada does not suffer from a lack of ideas. It suffers from a lack of execution.
Critical projects , whether defence procurement, infrastructure, or research initiatives,  often move at a pace that is incompatible with modern geopolitical realities. Delays cost money, credibility, and capability.
If Canada wants to be ready for the next 75 years, it must:
- Streamline procurement processes
- Cut unnecessary bureaucracy
- Empower experts and engineers, not just committees
- Set clear timelines and enforce them
- Treat national security as a non-negotiable priority
The world is moving fast. Canada must move with it.
A Call for Unity Above Politics
National security is not a partisan issue. Economic resilience is not a partisan issue. The future of our children is not a partisan issue.
Canada must rise above political differences, policy disagreements, and ideological divides. The challenges of the next century will not wait for us to finish debating. They require a unified national vision , one that prioritizes Canada’s long-term interests over short-term political gains.
This is not about left or right. It is about responsibility.
The Duty We Owe to the Next Generation
Tonight, as children across Canada fall asleep under Christmas lights, dreaming of gifts and snow and the magic of the season, they do so in a country that has given them peace, stability, and opportunity. But these gifts are not guaranteed for their future.
We owe them more than comfort today. We owe them security tomorrow.
We owe them a Canada that is strong enough to protect its sovereignty, innovative enough to compete globally, and united enough to withstand the pressures of a turbulent world.
We owe them a Canada that invests in its people, its industries, its research, and its defence , not because we expect conflict, but because we want to prevent it.
We owe them a Canada that is ready.
Christmas Peace Is a Blessing , But It Must Be Defended
On this Christmas night, Canada is peaceful. But peace is not a passive condition. It is an active achievement. It requires foresight, investment, and courage.
The world is changing. The Arctic is changing. Technology is changing. Geopolitics is changing. Canada must change with it.
If we act now , with clarity, unity, and determination ,the next generation of Canadians will enjoy the same peace and prosperity we cherish today. If we delay, we risk leaving them a world far more uncertain than the one we inherited.
This is our moment to prepare. This is our responsibility. And this is our duty, to Canada, to our children, and to the future.