Canadian Naval Review

'Insightful and engaging'

Canadian Naval Review

Not So Sea-blind

By David Morse, 4 December 2024

A container ship sails in the Port of Vancouver in 2018. Credit: Timothy Choi

It has long been the belief that Canadians are largely blind to maritime issues and uninformed about our economic dependency on the maritime sector. A recent poll conducted by Angus Reid on behalf of the ClearSeas organization provides a much more positive view of Canadians' understanding of the maritime economy. Most are well aware of the scope and volume of shipping both for export and import; most are sensitive to the impact of shipping delays on supply chains; most express positive views of the national regulation of the maritime industry; most are "clear eyed" about the risks and hazards associated with shipping; and, remarkably, nearly a quarter of those surveyed express and interest in maritime careers.

An interesting insight into a vital element of the Canadian economy.

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Current Issue: Canadian Naval Review Vol. 20 No. 2

Download Vol.20.2 in PDF format!

Coming soon to a mailbox or computer near you – the Fall issue of CNR! The sweet summer days are gone and the Fall issue of CNR is at the graphic designers. Time flies! We’re a bit biased, but this issue looks amazing. Prepare to be intrigued and delighted!

In the Fall issue you’ll find the winning essay from the CNMT-sponsored essay contest we hold every year. The 2024 contest was won by Lieutenant-Commander Damien Ciotti with an essay entitled “Leveraging the Canadian Surface Combatant for Ballistic Missile Defence.”

Our second article is by Commander James Brun.

He describes the events when Harry DeWolf was in command of HMCS Haida in World War II and the battles that led to the ship earning the title of Canada’s Fightingest Warship – “HMCS Haida: Actions Under Commander Harry DeWolf.” Our third article, “Canada’s Arctic Forces: Preparing for the Future,” by Major (Ret’d) Les Mader, argues that Canada needs to consider what military forces it needs and what actions it should take now to be prepared if climate change leads to catastrophic changes in ocean currents. We also have a short, but poignant, piece about Remembrance Day as it approaches. In a time of increasing turbulence, we must all take the time to remember.

We are pleased to have a tasty buffet of Making Wave commentaries. There are two commentaries about increasing personnel in the RCN. A commentary discusses the 2% of GDP commitment Canada made to NATO. Another commentary explores the “fallacy of sunk costs” and discusses how this relates to the CAF/RCN commitment to the CSCs. A final commentary discusses China’s evolving strategy of engagement with Pacific island states. And then we have columns examining what Saab is up to in Sweden, the implications of RIMPAC 2024 for security commitments in Asia, and the defence spending commitment made at the NATO summit this summer.

Of course there are stunning photos to illustrate everything! You will be unable to put this issue down once you start reading! See the Table of Contents here.

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Looking for Books about Maritime Matters?

Over the last 15 years, Canadian Naval Review has published over 180 book reviews. These books cover a variety of topics but they all relate to maritime matters, history, or security and defence at sea. This is an amazing resource. Go through the list of reviews, pick out a few books that look interesting, read the reviews, and then order the books from your nearest bookstore or from the publisher. See the list of book reviews at https://www.navalreview.ca/book-reviews/