The question of US military reliance is a complex one, and a recent surge in defense spending may not offer the complete solution some believe. To understand the nuances, consider the experience of Glenn Cowan, who served in Kandahar province in early 2002 as part of the initial Canadian Army deployment to Afghanistan within a US-led brigade combat team.

Later joining Canada’s elite Joint Task Force 2 in 2003, Cowan spent the following 13 years partnering with American soldiers on various high-stakes operations, including raids, rescues, and reconnaissance missions. His perspective is uniquely informed by this deep-seated collaboration. “If you’re going to get into a fight with someone,” Cowan, founder of the Ottawa-based national security investment firm ONE9, explains, “you want the Americans on your side.”

This sentiment extends beyond personnel, impacting the equipment Canadian troops utilize and the broader industry supporting them. The extent to which increased defense spending can truly lessen this dependence on US military capabilities remains a subject of ongoing debate and analysis among experts.