When Canadians and Americans build together, we build stronger

Opinion | By Rick Tachuk, President, AmCham Canada | December 3, 2025 
The Hill Times
 

For a century, our partnership has kept North America safe. It has built the world’s most capable defence industrial base, and ensured our Forces can move, fight, and win together.

The 2025 budget marked a turning point for Canadian defence. The government’s decision to invest historic amounts in new capabilities is the kind of ambition needed in a world that has not grown safer.

Canadians are right to expect more from their defence investments. The budget’s new “Buy Canada” provisions are significant. They will help ensure that taxpayer dollars strengthen the country’s industrial base and workforce. But it is equally important to recognize that many of the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada’s members have been building that base for decades. They are not newcomers. They are part of Canada’s economic story, employing thousands, investing in research and training, and supporting supply chains that reach into every region of the country.  

From aerospace and engines to sensors and command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems that help militaries see, share information, and co-ordinate, United States primes and their Canadian subsidiaries employ thousands here and buy from hundreds of local suppliers. RTX employs more than 8,500 people across the country, and supports upwards of 2,500 suppliers. Bell Textron Canada employs 1,650 people, including 232 employees supporting the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Griffon Limited Life Extension and in-service support programs, along with several suppliers across the country. General Dynamics Land Systems Canada employs about 1,800 people in London, Ont. L3Harris Wescam’s Ontario footprint exceeds 1,200 people. Lockheed Martin Canada lists 1,000 employees across several cities from coast to coast. Boeing’s Canadian presence supports more than 14,000 jobs through payroll and suppliers. Even though these companies are owned by U.S. corporations, they are Canadian grown, rooted in local communities, and managed here.

The broader picture is clear. In 2023, foreign multinationals employed about 2.7 million Canadians, led by U.S.-controlled firms. They dominate professional, scientific, and technical services—the sectors that drive innovation. American-owned subsidiaries that are managed by Canadians hold more than half of all foreign-controlled corporate assets in Canada, and are already among the country’s biggest engines for advanced manufacturing and high-value jobs.

North American security is a shared fence. A gap on one side is a gap for both. Our adversaries do not respect borders. Missiles, drones, and cyber threats do not stop at the 49th parallel. The best way to avoid seams is to procure interoperable systems that are already proven with our closest ally. As Chief of Defence Staff General Jennie Carignan said, “Interoperability is extremely important.” That is not outsourcing sovereignty. It is exercising it.

There is an urgency to ensuring that our shared fence is strong. The Arctic is thawing, the electromagnetic spectrum is contested, and cyber probes are constant. American primes and their subsidiaries operating in Canada are ready to deliver again:

• By using existing Canadian facilities and proven programs to deliver, sustain, and support equipment already in service;
• By relying on mature designs and certifications to shorten schedules without sacrificing safety or value; and
• By leveraging our enduring partnership: investing in Canadian talent, strengthening local supply chains, and deepening the collaboration that already powers our shared industrial base.

None of this diminishes Canadian champions. It strengthens them. Integrated supply chains help Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises scale, place graduates in high-value roles, and spread prosperity beyond Ottawa and Toronto. When Canadian and American firms build together, we share not only technology, but resilience.

For a century, that partnership has kept North America safe. It has built the world’s most capable defence industrial base, and ensured our Forces can move, fight, and win together. In moments of tension, whether political or economic, cool heads must prevail. The foundation we have built over generations is strong. Now we need to build on it quickly and confidently so that the women and men in uniform have the interoperable and reliable tools they need. Not in 2040, but in the years that actually matter.

Rick Tachuk is the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada. Representing the views of major U.S. companies invested in Canada, he works closely with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., and other national business associations as an advocate for the expansion of Canada-U.S. trade and investment.

Published by The Hill Times - December 3, 2025
 

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About AmCham Canada
The American Chamber of Commerce in Canada (AmCham Canada) supports policies and initiatives that promote U.S.-Canada trade, investment, and innovation. With chapters across the country and strong ties to both American and Canadian business communities, AmCham Canada serves as a critical bridge between businesses and governments, advocating for a vibrant and resilient cross-border economy.