February 10, 2026
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Canadaland Politics
#168 The “Canadianization of NATO” and our Fight to Host the World’s Military Bank
NATO is building something new: a Defence, Security and Resilience Bank. Basically a World Bank for war, and Canada wants it.
Sam Konnert
Producer/Host
Aviva Lessard
Senior Producer
Noor Azrieh
Host/Producer
Caleb Thompson
Audio Editor
max collins
Director of Audio
Jesse Brown
Host & Publisher

From Toronto to Montreal to Ottawa to Halifax, mayors are campaigning hard, pitching their cities as the future headquarters of a global military finance hub. Thousands of high-paying jobs, direct access to defence capital and a front-row seat to the new security order are all at stake.

 

At the same time, Mark Carney is preparing to unveil his long-awaited Defence Industrial Strategy, a plan to pump billions into Canada’s military sector. After years of defence being politically taboo, hard power is suddenly a growth strategy.

 

So what does that actually mean for the companies building the tech? For the cities fighting to host the bank? And for a country that once prided itself on being defence-averse?

 

Host: Sam Konnert

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Guests: Sonya Shorey, Mayor Andy Fillmore, Maroy Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Rod Phillips, Councillor Brad Bradford and Sam Witherspoon

 

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