Inside an Ottawa defence tech startup

NATO is building something new: a Defence, Security and Resilience Bank. Basically a World Bank for war, and Canada wants it.

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

Background reading:

• Canada officially endorses leadership role in new defence bank - The Globe and Mail
• Local Ottawa officials 'frustrated' with Ford over support for Toronto's bid for new defence bank - iPolitics
• Canada in the running to headquarter new multinational defence bank - The Globe and Mail

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