Now-former chief of defence staff Wayne Eyre says Canada should maintain flexibility on the question of whether to acquire nuclear weapons.Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press
Canada’s former top soldier says this country should keep its options open on the question of acquiring nuclear weapons.
Retired general Wayne Eyre, who stepped down as chief of the defence staff in 2024, was speaking at a forum on Canada’s military readiness.
He was asked by a moderator whether Canada in this age of geopolitical turmoil should develop a nuclear deterrent.
Mr. Eyre said it’s not something Canada should pursue now. But, he added, many countries are wrestling with this question at the moment, and Canada should maintain flexibility for the future.
“Here in Canada, let’s keep our options open,” the retired general said.
“We’ve got a good nuclear enterprise here,” he said. “If conditions change, we’ve got the civilian infrastructure. We’ve got the scientists.”
Mr. Eyre told a Monday conference organized by the Conference of Defence Associations Institute and advisory company Catalyze4 that Canada should continue investing in enabling technology. “Let’s think about the delivery technology, so investing in our own aerospace, missile technology.”