Canada can easily manufacture nukes. We have all of the scientific and technical skills to pull it off. I hope we never need one of the damn things though.
That said if a dump invasion took place I’m sure we could count on France to give us one to decapitate the dump.
We would need new reactors, since the CANDU is specifically designed to not breed weapons-grade material…but in order to design a reactor like that, we necessarily must also have the expertise to design one for the opposite reason. Biggest issue is probably construction time
The French nuclear umbrella being extended to other EU states is still only a suggestion (though even as just a suggestion it is a very strong political message). What that would mean for French nuclear doctrine in practice is yet unclear. Would France nuke Russian troops/infrastructure/cities and risk all-out nuclear war to protect Romania? Moldova?
Funnily enough the entire reason why France has an independent Nuclear program at all is De Gaulle did not trust the US to risk New York being glassed in order to save Paris from a Russian invasion. Which was probably correct. Unfortunately, the reverse logic also applies and France will not risk Paris being glassed to save Toronto. The only reason why a sovereign European nuclear umbrella makes sense on paper is that an attack on any EU member state hits close enough to home as to arguably be existentially threatening, unlike a war an ocean away.
Unless you meant France selling nukes, but that would violate every nonproliferation treaty out there and just be a complete mess that even with a sane US administration would lead to a complete diplomatic meltdown. The current suicide cult at the helm would probably actually start a nuclear war for less than that.
It’s French but has a weird legal status where the citizens are French and therefore have an EU passport and vote in EU elections, but it is not part of the EU and Schengen from what I understand.
Anyway technicalities aside, France generally doesn’t care much for its overseas territories. Quality of living varies wildly from territory to territory and there’s still ongoing mid 20th century style colonial oppression in places like Nouvelle-Calédonie.
So while a Falklands type situation is quite possible if anyone tries to invade an overseas French territory, it’s doubtful that France would risk actual nuclear war over one. Especially Saint Pierre and Miquelon which does not have a strategic military value as far as I can tell, unlike other territories which serve as force projection multipliers and have naval bases, especially for the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier and the nuclear deterrence submarines. Without those France wouldn’t be able to operate in the Pacific theater.
IIRC Saint Pierre and Miquelon basically exist to retain French access to the Grand Banks for fishing, or at least those were the terms of the 1763 Treaty of Paris (it traded hands a couple of times after that). Very little strategic military value today.
In a less stupid world, Canada/Europe allying with Russia instead of US is freedom for the colonies. It also means that Canada/NORAD protects the US, since Trump likes to complain about US protection of Canada, and that means US must pay for the privilege of NORAD. Buying nuclear defense from North Korea is the cheapest.
A single nuclear detonation on Permean Bassin collapses the US economically. Their debt levels only gives them a few years anyway. The quest for Canada is mostly about diluting debt, IMO, rather than resources.
CANDU reactors don’t make Pu out of the natural U we use as we break down to daughter elements. That being said, two things:
We have lots of U. Enrichment is new to us, but we would be technically capable of starting. U bombs are possible, but not preferred for various reasons.
If India can get Pu from a CIRUS (which was basically a NRX), we could develop nuclear weapon fuel here.
After some quick interneting, apparently we have the technical and industrial capacity to do so, but lack intention, having committed to peaceful, civilian use of the technology through non-proliferation treaties, etc.
I mean, in an ideal world, that’s how it should be.
Sorry I didn’t mean we can’t of course we can given the people we have. I meant that I think we don’t have the benefit of our reactors producing fissile material suitable for weapons. Could be wrong.
We can’t build one now. But we have the capability of doing it very quickly if we needed to.
The issue though, is doing it in secret. If the Yanks WERE to find out that we’re doing it, that would give them enough reason to start military force. I mean, Russia invaded Ukraine for less reason.
What Canada needs is to join the EU. Or at least, form a protective agreement with the EU which ensures military protection.
Canada can easily manufacture nukes. We have all of the scientific and technical skills to pull it off. I hope we never need one of the damn things though.
That said if a dump invasion took place I’m sure we could count on France to give us one to decapitate the dump.
We would need new reactors, since the CANDU is specifically designed to not breed weapons-grade material…but in order to design a reactor like that, we necessarily must also have the expertise to design one for the opposite reason. Biggest issue is probably construction time
The French nuclear umbrella being extended to other EU states is still only a suggestion (though even as just a suggestion it is a very strong political message). What that would mean for French nuclear doctrine in practice is yet unclear. Would France nuke Russian troops/infrastructure/cities and risk all-out nuclear war to protect Romania? Moldova?
Funnily enough the entire reason why France has an independent Nuclear program at all is De Gaulle did not trust the US to risk New York being glassed in order to save Paris from a Russian invasion. Which was probably correct. Unfortunately, the reverse logic also applies and France will not risk Paris being glassed to save Toronto. The only reason why a sovereign European nuclear umbrella makes sense on paper is that an attack on any EU member state hits close enough to home as to arguably be existentially threatening, unlike a war an ocean away.
Unless you meant France selling nukes, but that would violate every nonproliferation treaty out there and just be a complete mess that even with a sane US administration would lead to a complete diplomatic meltdown. The current suicide cult at the helm would probably actually start a nuclear war for less than that.
Saint Pierre and Miquelon is French. Don’t they deserve some love?
It’s French but has a weird legal status where the citizens are French and therefore have an EU passport and vote in EU elections, but it is not part of the EU and Schengen from what I understand.
Anyway technicalities aside, France generally doesn’t care much for its overseas territories. Quality of living varies wildly from territory to territory and there’s still ongoing mid 20th century style colonial oppression in places like Nouvelle-Calédonie.
So while a Falklands type situation is quite possible if anyone tries to invade an overseas French territory, it’s doubtful that France would risk actual nuclear war over one. Especially Saint Pierre and Miquelon which does not have a strategic military value as far as I can tell, unlike other territories which serve as force projection multipliers and have naval bases, especially for the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier and the nuclear deterrence submarines. Without those France wouldn’t be able to operate in the Pacific theater.
IIRC Saint Pierre and Miquelon basically exist to retain French access to the Grand Banks for fishing, or at least those were the terms of the 1763 Treaty of Paris (it traded hands a couple of times after that). Very little strategic military value today.
In a less stupid world, Canada/Europe allying with Russia instead of US is freedom for the colonies. It also means that Canada/NORAD protects the US, since Trump likes to complain about US protection of Canada, and that means US must pay for the privilege of NORAD. Buying nuclear defense from North Korea is the cheapest.
A single nuclear detonation on Permean Bassin collapses the US economically. Their debt levels only gives them a few years anyway. The quest for Canada is mostly about diluting debt, IMO, rather than resources.
I’m not sure we can. Our reactors don’t produce the right material, I think. We should buy from France, tomorrow.
CANDU reactors don’t make Pu out of the natural U we use as we break down to daughter elements. That being said, two things:
After some quick interneting, apparently we have the technical and industrial capacity to do so, but lack intention, having committed to peaceful, civilian use of the technology through non-proliferation treaties, etc.
I mean, in an ideal world, that’s how it should be.
Sorry I didn’t mean we can’t of course we can given the people we have. I meant that I think we don’t have the benefit of our reactors producing fissile material suitable for weapons. Could be wrong.
We can’t build one now. But we have the capability of doing it very quickly if we needed to.
The issue though, is doing it in secret. If the Yanks WERE to find out that we’re doing it, that would give them enough reason to start military force. I mean, Russia invaded Ukraine for less reason.
What Canada needs is to join the EU. Or at least, form a protective agreement with the EU which ensures military protection.
I would very much rather we err on the side of caution when it comes to our sovereignty and Trumps erratic, ego driven foreign policy.