We have a peer competitor, a strategic rival, in China, which is able to compete at scale in space with the United States and with the western alliance. The effort of China, of course, is to disrupt the status quo of the rules-based order, not just on earth, but in cyberspace and in space. Of course, Canada, as a middle power, has a key interest in preserving the status quo, and that's why Canada has a keen interest in establishing clear behavioural norms. I think the incentive is space mining precisely because that's where the opportunity is the same for China as it is for all other countries. I think one of the opportunities Canada has is to ensure, for instance, equal access to space. How do we get other countries to come on board with our approaches to space? We ensure equal access to space and we ensure ethical access to space.
On May 8th, 2024. See this statement in context.