Canadian Seapower
2025

Location: University of Calgary

Dates: September 26-27, 2025

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In 2024 Minister of National Defence William Blair introduced the Government of Canada’s defence update with a warning.

 

The world is at an inflection point. Democracy, free trade, and the rules and values that underpin them are increasingly being contested by authoritarian states. In parallel, the character of conflict is changing as technology evolves rapidly.

 

Today, Canada faces a more complex and dangerous security landscape than at any time since the Second World War. Canada is at an inflection point, now facing two great power competitors, a complicated ecosystem of malign non-state actors, and persistent pressures eroding the rules based international order.

 

This conference will bring together academics, experts, and serving and retired naval and coast guard personnel to examine the emerging maritime security threats facing Canada and offer ideas for a path forward. Presentations and discussion will focus on several key questions:

 

• What threats does Canada face and how do we prioritize them?

• What assets and what fleet mix is needed to meet emerging challenges?

• How does Canada manage hybrid and below-threshold security threats?

• How does Canada recapitalize its navy to fit into a broader alliance framework?

• What new technologies can support the RCN and how do we incorporate those?

• Does Canada need a new vision of shipbuilding and procurement to accelerate recapitalization of the RCN?