The Canadian government has confirmed ongoing discussions with the United States regarding its proposed “Golden Dome” missile defence system, which is intended to counter advanced aerial threats.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office acknowledged that the two countries are actively engaged in security-related talks, including the Golden Dome initiative.
The U.S. plan, unveiled by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, includes an initial $25 billion allocation for building the missile defence system.
Trump noted that Canada had shown interest in joining the effort. However, details regarding Canada’s involvement and financial contribution remain unclear, and experts are raising questions about the feasibility and scale of the proposed system.
The conversations are taking place within a broader context of trade and security negotiations between both nations. Tensions escalated after Trump threatened heavy tariffs on Canada and suggested it would be better off as a U.S. state. These developments sparked a surge in national pride that led to a significant electoral victory for Carney’s Liberal government.
According to Audrey Champoux, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Carney, Canadians have given their leader a strong mandate to pursue a more comprehensive security and economic arrangement with the U.S. She emphasized that talks are constructive and wide-ranging, with NORAD and initiatives like the Golden Dome forming part of the dialogue. Still, she clarified that it is premature to determine how much Canada might contribute or what its exact role would be.
President Trump expressed confidence in Canada’s willingness to participate, stating, “We’ll be talking to them. They want to have protection also, so as usual, we help Canada.” He said the Golden Dome system would be operational by the end of his term, with a projected total cost of $175 billion, urging that Canada contribute its “fair share.”
Canada and the U.S. are long-standing partners in NORAD, a joint aerospace and maritime defence system established in 1958. Both countries have been exploring ways to modernize NORAD to address emerging threats.
The Golden Dome is envisioned as a more advanced layer of defence, featuring space-based sensors and interceptors capable of neutralizing missiles launched from across the globe or even from space. It draws partial inspiration from Israel’s Iron Dome, although experts question whether such a vast and complex system is realistic on the scale proposed for North America.
Shashank Joshi, defence editor at The Economist, told the BBC that the concept might rely on thousands of satellites and orbital interceptors designed to detect and destroy missiles at launch.
However, he also cautioned that completing such an ambitious system within Trump’s term is unlikely and that the financial burden could consume a significant portion of the U.S. defence budget. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the space-based elements alone could cost up to $542 billion over the next two decades.
