# Quebec facing global rearmament

> This full-day conference brings together experts and practitioners to address three interconnected questions: What role can Quebec industry play in this rearmament? Under what conditions will Quebec society support it? And how will the new Quebec government transform Quebec's relations with Canada, the United States, and Europe?

Source: https://ras-nsa.ca/en/event/le-quebec-face-au-rearmement-mondial/
Modified: 2026-11-03

*This event will be held in French and recorded for later viewing*

Canada has embarked on its most significant rearmament since the end of the Cold War: a rapid increase in defense spending, its very first Defense Industrial Strategy, the creation of the Defense Investment Agency, closer ties with Europe, and a redefined relationship with the United States. This turning point comes just as a new government, resulting from the October 5, 2026 elections, takes office in Quebec.

Co-organized by the Strategic Analysis Network and the *Institut d'études internationales de Montréal* - IEIM, this day-long event brings together experts and practitioners to address three interconnected questions: what role can Quebec’s industry play in this rearmament, under what conditions will Quebec society support it, and how will the new Quebec government transform Quebec’s relations with Canada, the United States, and Europe?

**Program**

**8:30 — Registration & Welcome**

Registration and coffee

**9:00 — Opening Remarks**

[**Justin Massie**](https://ras-nsa.ca/en/expert/justin-massie/), Professor, Department of Political Science, UQAM; Director of the Strategic Analysis Network

**9:15 —****Panel 1 — Quebec’s Industry Facing Canadian Rearmament**

**Presentation of the study:**

[**Justin Massie**](https://ras-nsa.ca/en/expert/justin-massie/), Professor, Department of Political Science, UQAM

[**Maya Bouton**](https://ras-nsa.ca/en/expert/maya-bouton/), Emerging Scholar, Master’s student in Political Science, UQAM and Sciences Po Grenoble

[**Walid Ferguen**](https://ras-nsa.ca/en/expert/walid-ferguen/), Emerging Scholar, Master’s student in Political Science, UQAM

**Commentaires**

**Renée-Maude Lebrun**, Director, Defense Market, Investissement Québec

**Youri Rousseau**, Assistant Deputy Minister, External Trade Sector, Ministry of International Relations, La Francophonie and External Trade. (To be confirmed).

**Moderator:** [**Stéphane Roussel**](https://ras-nsa.ca/en/expert/stephane-roussel/), Professor, École nationale d’administration publique (ÉNAP)

**10:45 — Break**

**11:00 —****Panel 2 : Social Acceptability of Canadian Rearmament**

**[Anessa Kimball](https://ras-nsa.ca/en/expert/anessa-kimball/),**Professor, Université Laval

[**Jean-Christophe Boucher**](https://ras-nsa.ca/en/experts/?_sf_s=boucher), Associate Professor, University of Calgary

[**Stéphane Roussel**](https://ras-nsa.ca/en/expert/stephane-roussel/), Professor, École nationale d’administration publique (ÉNAP)

**Moderator**: [**Justin Massie**](https://ras-nsa.ca/en/expert/justin-massie/), Professor, Department of Political Science, UQAM

**12:30 — Lunch**

**14:00 —****Panel 3 : The New Quebec Government and Quebec/Canada International Relations**

**Daniel Beland**, Professor, McGill University

[**David Morin**](https://ras-nsa.ca/en/expert/david-morin/), Associate Professor, School of Applied Politics, Université de Sherbrooke

**Jean-François Payette**, Scientific Director, OPSA, École nationale d’administration publique (ÉNAP)

**Stéphane Paquin**, Professor, École nationale d’administration publique (ÉNAP)

**Moderator**: **[Anessa Kimball](https://ras-nsa.ca/en/expert/anessa-kimball/),**Professor, Université Laval

**15:30 — Break**

**15:45 — Informal conversation****:****Quebec in the World: Perspectives from Two Former Ministers**

**Line Beauchamp**, Strategic Consultant, former Delegate General of Quebec in Paris, former Minister and Deputy Premier of Quebec

**Jean-François Lisée**, Author and Columnist, former Minister of International Relations, La Francophonie, and External Trade

**Moderator**: **[François Audet](https://ieim.uqam.ca/auteur/audet-francois/)**, Director, Institut d'études internationales de Montréal (IEIM)

**16:45 — Closing Remarks**

Crédit photo : [Christian Chomiak](https://unsplash.com/@christianchomiak?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText), [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/blue-and-white-flag-on-pole-under-white-clouds-and-blue-sky-during-daytime-iNB8kcBUjwA?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText)