The Canadian Armed Forces have conducted war-game simulations modeling a defensive response to hypothetical American invasion, according to multiple reports, as President Donald Trump's repeated assertions that Canada should become the "51st state" prompt Ottawa to prepare for scenarios once considered unthinkable.
The existence of the military planning became public as Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a pointed address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, declaring that "a country that cannot feed itself, fuel itself or defend itself has few options." Carney, who took office six months ago, has doubled defense spending and signed 12 trade and security agreements across four continents in what he characterized as preparation for "a rupture in the international order."
"Our commitment to Article 5 is unwavering," Carney said, referencing NATO's collective defense provision. "We are working with our NATO allies to further secure the alliance's northern and western flanks." He stated that Canada stands "firmly" with Denmark against U.S. territorial claims on Greenland.
The Canadian military modeling exercises, according to sources familiar with the matter, explore defensive strategies focused on denying control of critical infrastructure rather than conventional battlefield victory against a vastly larger force. The scenarios reportedly examine how to defend key energy corridors, Arctic sovereignty claims, and population centers in the event of American military action.
Canada and the share the world's longest undefended border—5,525 miles—and have not fought each other since the War of 1812. The two nations have maintained integrated defense cooperation through (North American Aerospace Defense Command) since 1958, making the current tensions particularly jarring for military planners on both sides of the border.
