Canada has no plans to acquire nuclear weapons and remains firmly committed to its status as a non-nuclear-weapon state, Defence Minister David McGuinty said Monday, pushing back against recent remarks from a former top military commander.
Speaking to reporters on Feb. 3, McGuinty said Ottawa has “absolutely no intention” of pursuing nuclear arms, noting that Canada is bound by international treaties that prohibit such weapons and has upheld those commitments for decades. Instead, he emphasized that the government’s focus is on strengthening conventional military capabilities.
“We are going to continue to build conventional weapons, rearm, reinvest, and rebuild the Canadian Armed Forces,” McGuinty said, underscoring what he described as a long-term effort to restore military readiness.
His comments came a day after retired General Wayne Eyre, who stepped down as chief of the defence staff in 2024, suggested at a defence forum in Ottawa that Canada should at least keep the option of nuclear weapons on the table. Eyre argued that true strategic independence is difficult to achieve without a nuclear deterrent, though he stopped short of advocating immediate pursuit of such arms.
McGuinty rejected the idea that nuclear weapons are necessary for military independence, saying Canada can remain fully sovereign while rebuilding and modernizing its forces. He added that he respects Eyre’s service and views his comments as part of a broader debate, not government policy.
Asked about the impending expiration of the New START nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia, McGuinty said he was not yet briefed on the details but would review the issue. The treaty, signed in 2010, caps deployed nuclear warheads and delivery systems and is the last remaining arms-control agreement between Washington and Moscow. Its possible lapse has raised concerns among arms-control advocates about a renewed nuclear arms race involving leaders such as Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
McGuinty also addressed questions about Canada’s role in Arctic security, saying no decision has been made on deploying Canadian troops to Greenland. He noted that Canada continues to work closely with NORAD and allies through joint operations, including recent helicopter deployments in Alaska and Coast Guard missions near Greenland. Canada, he added, is in the process of opening a new consulate on the island.
U.S. interest in Greenland has resurfaced in recent weeks after renewed comments from Trump about acquiring the territory for national security reasons. Canada’s position, McGuinty said, aligns with that of Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has affirmed support for Denmark and Greenland’s right to determine their own future.
On defence procurement, McGuinty confirmed that Canada’s planned purchase of 88 F-35 fighter jets remains under review. Ottawa has finalized and paid for the first 16 aircraft, expected to be operational in the early 2030s, but has not yet completed procurement of the remaining jets. The government is also examining alternatives, including Sweden’s Saab Gripen, though no timeline has been announced.
McGuinty said recent discussions with the U.S. ambassador to Canada included extensive talks on Arctic defence and Canada–U.S. cooperation, highlighting major investments such as over-the-horizon radar systems.
Taken together, McGuinty’s remarks signal a clear direction for Canada’s defence policy: rebuilding and modernizing conventional forces, deepening cooperation with allies, and firmly rejecting any move toward nuclear weapons.
