Council of Canadians, World Beyond War Call on Carney to Reject “Dangerous, Costly” Scheme 

OTTAWA – The Council of Canadians, World Beyond War and allies are calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to reject any Canadian participation in US President Donald Trump’s recently announced “Golden Dome” project. 

Canada could join the missile interceptor programme as part of the trade and security pact the Carney government is currently negotiating with the US Talks between the two countries are moving rapidly, with some media reports suggesting a deal could be announced in the coming days.  

Nikolas Barry-Shaw, trade and privatization campaigner, Council of Canadians: 

“We shouldn’t even be considering signing up for the Golden Dome. We’ve seen this movie before, and we know how it ends. This latest ‘Star Wars’ reboot will cost Canadians tens if not hundreds of billions of dollars, inflame international tensions and lead to the militarization of space. It will make American arms manufacturers richer, but it will not make Canadians any safer.” 

“Corporate Canada may think joining Trump’s Golden Dome is a good idea, but most Canadians do not. Polls show ordinary Canadians remain overwhelmingly opposed to putting anti-missile weapon systems in space, with good reason. If Mark Carney signs us up for Trump’s Golden Dome, it would be a monumental betrayal of the trust Canadians have placed in him.” 

Rachel Small, Canada lead, World Beyond War: 

“It is unthinkable that Canada would partner on a new hundreds of billions of dollars project with the US at the same moment that President Donald Trump is deploying economic aggression and annexationist threats against Canada. Let alone a project that will antagonize military powers around the world while sparking a race to militarize space.” 
 
“Spending hundreds of billions of dollars on outrageous and aggressive weapons systems like the Golden Dome is a slap in the face to everyone in Canada struggling to get by or to imagine a life for their children in a country that sets new wildfire records nearly every year.” 

“If ever there were a time to reassess the genuine threats to the security of people across Canada and separate them from the self-interested goals of Donald Trump or the American weapons industry, this is it.” 

Quotes from allies 

“Participating in Trump’s Golden Dome is a betrayal of Mark Carney’s promise to distance Canada from the US,” explained Canadian Foreign Policy Institute fellow Tamara Lorincz. “Canada must oppose weaponizing space and escalating the arms race.” 

“During the election campaign, the Liberals promised to distance Canada from the US military”, says Karen Rodman from Just Peace Advocates. “Joining the Golden Dome would betray that promise. Canada shouldn’t participate in Trump’s Golden Dome.” 

Background 

Canadians oppose paying Trump to join the Golden Dome by a margin of nearly 4-to-1 (63% against, versus 17% for Canadians participation), according to a Nanos poll, conducted June 1-3. 

Last week, the Toronto Sun reported that the Carney government’s discussions over a trade and security pact with the US “have recently intensified with the hope of announcing a deal within the next week to 10 days.” “What we can expect is an announcement that Canada will increase its defence spending, including potential participation in the Golden Dome missile defence system.”  

The US has spent more than $350 billion on anti-missile systems over the past 60 years, with few tangible results to show for it. Experts and scientists have criticized the Golden Dome initiative as “a fantasy,” “a mirage,” and “science fiction.”   

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