Thank you very much, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.
It's a great opportunity to appear here to talk about Canada's buy Canadian policy.
I come before you not as an academic or a career public servant but as an innovator, an entrepreneur and a contractor who has spent years working with Canada's defence, manufacturing and industrial sectors. My perspective is shaped by experience on the ground, working with companies that create jobs, invest in communities and support Canada's strategic interests. As president and founder of MRE Canada, a company specializing in domestic food production and manufacturing for the Canadian Armed Forces, I understand the importance of Canadian sovereignty, not only for our military but for the resilience of our economy and supply chains.
Today, countries around the world are investing heavily in domestic manufacturing, because they've learned a critical lesson: When demand surges or crises emerge, access to essential supplies cannot always be guaranteed. For Canada, this extends beyond major weapons systems. Military rations, ammunition, components, packaging technologies, logistics systems, advanced materials and electronics all contribute to the operational readiness. A military cannot operate without sustainment. It cannot fight without supply chains. At its core, a buy Canadian policy is more than a procurement policy. It's an economic policy, an industrial policy, a sovereignty policy and, increasingly, a national security policy.
The recent years have exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains, whether they're caused by geopolitical instability, trade disruptions or other international crises. Canada has learned that dependence on foreign suppliers can leave it exposed when other nations prioritize their own needs. Resilience requires more than trusted trading partners. It requires the ability to produce, sustain and scale critical capabilities here at home. Building that capability or that capacity requires long-term investment, and those investments depend on the confidence that government procurement will remain consistent over time. We've seen what happens when that confidence disappears. When Canada faced critical shortages, businesses stepped forward, invested capital, expanded facilities and built domestic production capacity. That was during COVID-19. However, when the immediate need passed, many were left competing against lower-cost imported goods without sustained support. Much of that capacity disappeared, and those investments were lost. That lesson should not be forgotten.
The same principle applies today in defence manufacturing. If government expects industry to invest in new production lines, workforce development and infrastructure, companies must have confidence that procurement commitments will endure long enough to justify those investments. A successful buy Canadian policy should therefore be measured by not only the contracts awarded today but the industrial capacity that exists 10 or 20 years from now. The question is not whether Canadian companies can compete. They already do. The question is whether our procurement system gives them a fair opportunity to succeed. Too often, procurement focuses on the lowest upfront cost, yet true value extends far beyond the purchase price. When contracts support Canadian workers, research and development, tax revenues and domestic supply chains, the economic return benefits the entire country. Every dollar spent with a Canadian supplier supports jobs, innovation, apprenticeships, exports and future growth. This is particularly important as Canada works to strengthen its defence industrial base. We cannot build a resilient defence ecosystem overnight. It requires sustained investment, predictable procurement and confidence that domestic firms will have the opportunity to grow.
To succeed, a buy Canadian policy must be implemented carefully.
First, Canadian content requirements must be meaningful and transparent. Canadians should have confidence that products labelled as Canadian genuinely create value in Canada.
Second, the policy must support small and medium-sized enterprises. Many of Canada's most innovative firms begin as small businesses but face significant barriers in navigating complex procurement systems. Today's small firms can become tomorrow's industrial champions.
Third, the policy must focus on long-term industrial development rather than short-term political objectives. Buy Canadian should not be viewed as protectionism. It should be viewed as a strategic investment. Every major industrial nation actively supports sectors it considers essential to economic prosperity, resilience and national security. Canada shouldn't be different.
In closing, Canada faces a strategic choice. We can continue to treat procurement primarily as a purchasing exercise focused on short-term costs, or we can recognize it as one of the most powerful tools available to strengthen our industrial base, economic resilience, emergency preparedness and national sovereignty.
The lesson is simple: If capacity is not maintained, it's eventually lost. Once lost, it becomes difficult, costly and time-consuming to rebuild.
If Canada wants domestic companies to invest, innovate, hire and expand, we must provide confidence that strategic Canadian capabilities will continue to be valued long after the crisis has passed. A successful buy Canadian policy should not simply purchase Canadian products. It should build Canadian capacity.
I thank you very much, and I look forward to your questions.