Volume 36 of On Track focuses on the ongoing challenges of defence procurement, with a broad range of domestic and international perspectives aimed at informing both public and governmental discussions on improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and speed of defence procurement.
The collection begins with a paper by Jeff Tasseron, an executive at CAE, who offers an industry perspective on Canadian defence procurement, emphasizing the need for improved collaboration between government and industry. This is followed by three international contributions that provide useful insights for Canada. Professor Jörg Schimmelpfennig critiques some widely accepted defence procurement practices, such as competitive contracting and Public-Private Partnerships. Michel Rademaker and Ron Stoop discuss the challenges faced by Europe’s defence industries, urging governments to streamline procurement, foster innovation, and secure critical supply chains. Rena Sasaki analyzes Japan’s innovative Agile Defence Acquisition reforms, offering valuable lessons for Canadian procurement efforts.
The final paper, authored by this volume’s editor, Charles Davies, advocates for an integrated Canadian defence capability acquisition and support organization, led by a single minister, rather than the proposed model of a defense procurement agency.
Together, these papers provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities facing Canada’s defence procurement system.
