According to Andrea Charron, a professor of international relations in the political science department at the U of M, Canada is entering a period of significant change in defence policy. Charron said Canada faces important decisions as it invests in continental defence and responds to growing security concerns in the Arctic and emerging missile technologies. Charron also serves as the director of the Centre for Defence and Security Studies.
Charron’s work in strategic studies examines how governments, militaries and other actors use political, economic, military and technological power to pursue security and foreign policy objectives. Her research focuses on North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Arctic security, sanctions and Canadian foreign and defence policy.
Canada is currently undertaking a long-term modernization of its contribution to NORAD. The federal government has committed $38.6 billion over 20 years on an accrual basis to the modernization effort, including investments in surveillance, command and communications, air weapons systems, infrastructure and research and development.
In March 2026, Canada also announced that it had reached NATO’s benchmark of spending 2 per cent of gross domestic product on defence for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
For Charron, understanding such developments requires recognizing how closely Canada’s security is connected to developments outside its borders.
“Strategic studies have become increasingly important for Canadians to understand because many of the issues that shape our daily lives — from national security and economic prosperity to international trade and energy security — are influenced by developments in the global security environment,” she said.
A major focus of Charron’s research is NORAD and the Canada-U.S. relationship underpinning continental defence.
Her work shows how NORAD has changed alongside the security environment. Created during the Cold War for aerospace warning and defence, NORAD later took on new responsibilities, including maritime warning, while adapting to challenges that emerged after the U.S. September 11 attacks (9/11) in 2001.
“9/11 significantly altered the Canada–U.S. relationship. Border security became a central concern, and institutions such as NORAD took on new missions related to homeland defence,” Charron explained. “A central finding of my work is that NORAD’s greatest strength is its ability to evolve.”
Charron’s research argues that Canada and the U.S. share responsibility for continental defence through NORAD, as Canada maintains a role in shaping decisions by contributing its own capabilities and expertise.
The Arctic is becoming an increasingly important part of that discussion. Charron identified climate change, increased accessibility and growing strategic interest from other states as factors contributing to the region’s importance for Canadian security.
Current Canadian investments reflect that shift. In June 2026, Canada formalized arrangements with Australia to acquire technology for an Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar system. According to the federal government of Canada, the system is intended to provide long-range detection and tracking of threats approaching Canada and North America through northern and Arctic regions. Initial capability is anticipated by December 2029.
Charron said her future research will examine how Canada should respond to changing air and missile threats. She plans to study the future of Integrated Air and Missile Defence in North America, including the implications of the proposed U.S. Golden Dome missile defence architecture.
“A key question I hope to examine is whether Canada will participate in these efforts primarily through NORAD, which has long been responsible for the aerospace defence of North America, or whether Canada may choose to pursue complementary capabilities independently,” she noted.
Advanced cruise missiles, hypersonic weapons, drones and increasingly sophisticated missile systems are complicating established approaches to continental defence. Charron is interested in what this could mean for Canadian investments in sensors, Arctic surveillance and other defence capabilities, as well as how those priorities could be balanced with Canada’s NATO commitments.
“Canada is at a pivotal moment where choices about defence investment, alliance cooperation, Arctic security and missile defence could shape North American security for generations,” she said.
Her research also examined how earlier security decisions continue to influence present policy.
Charron co-edited the 2023 book The Legacy of 9/11: Views from North America, which brought together researchers from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico to examine the longer-term effects of the attacks.
The project examined changes in areas including defence policy, intelligence cooperation, border management, civil liberties and foreign policy. It found that 9/11 transformed security governance across North America and significantly changed the Canada-U.S. relationship. Many institutions and policy frameworks developed after the attacks continue to shape responses to issues including cyber threats, Arctic security and geopolitical competition.
For Charron, research can help Canadians and policymakers navigate defence questions without prescribing simple answers. More broadly, Charron said her overall research aims to bridge the gap between academic scholarship and public policy by making complex security issues more accessible and providing evidence-based analysis to inform public discussion and policy decision-making.
“Good research cannot make those decisions for them, but it can help clarify the options, identify trade-offs and anticipate potential consequences,” she said.
To mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Charron has invited NORAD and the U.S. Northern Command’s chief historian to deliver the Paul Buteux Memorial Lecture on Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Schultz Theatre in St. John’s College, reflecting on the attacks and their aftermath. Interested individuals can find more information and register for the event online at www.eventbrite.ca/e/norad-911-25-years-later-tickets-1994511551742.
