Second-Tier, but Not Second Fiddle: Canada’s Place in the International Arms Industry

Abstract

Canada is a country that holds a small but significant place in the international arms industry. Thanks to its close relationship with the United States (US), Canada is a second-tier state that enjoys an exceptional status. This paper aims to provide a descriptive analysis of Canada’s place in the international arms industry over the last 6 decades. Key developments in the international arms market, as well as in the Canadian arms industry and buyer list, are examined in the Cold War period (1950-1991), and the post-Cold War period (1992-2013). These developments characterize three factors that make Canada exceptional in the global arms market: the integration of the Canadian arms industry with its US counterpart; close economic cooperation between Canada and the US; and the influence held by the US over Canadian market production and relationships. These factors illustrate the significance and exceptionality of the Canadian arms industry and its participation in the global arms trade. This alone validates the need for an examination and analysis of Canada in the international arms market.