The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) held an event at a Montreal area school today to highlight the Artemis 2 mission to the Moon meant to inspire students, the “future space explorers.”
In attendance was CSA president Lisa Campbell, astronaut and Artemis 2 crew member Jeremy Hansen, astronaut David Saint-Jacques, and the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development.
While Hansen stole the show for students, it was Joly in her opening remarks who added some context to Canada’s increased defence spending and the role of the CSA.
Joly speaking about Canada’s increased defence commitment where the country will invest 5% of annual GDP by 2035 said, “Well, you know, I don’t want to scoop anything, but that means much more support to the Canadian Space Agency. Be ready, because the Canadian Space Agency will be playing a key role and the defense investments of our government.”
This we already new to some degree. And CSA president Lisa Campbell spoke of dual-use technology investments in her remarks recently at the International Astronautical Congress.
But Joly went further saying, “for all of you who are here, you have good news, because there are hundreds of millions of dollars who will be given to the Canadian Space Agency permitting us to work on defence. I think it’s worth mentioning.”
We knew there would be more space defence investments, including through the CSA, but putting any type of number is new. Albeit we don’t know what the time frame is for these investments.
Joly continued, “But I’d like you to have this in mind. These investments are made to create jobs and to create more collaboration with major companies which are in this industrial race to space, be it with MDA Space, be it Telesat, or other companies which are here in the region, in the greater Montreal regional, everywhere in the country, because we have to make sure that we have a greater industrial sovereignty here, and we also, through our investment, we shall be able to act in various agencies, be the Canadian Space Agency or the research agencies, we should be able to create more jobs. So we are in an amazing phase, an amazing period for the Canadian Space Agency. Not only do we have a Canadian who is going to the moon, but we are having historic investments which will have an impact on the next generations to come and the generation of children who are here today.”
This was followed by Hansen making a presentation on the Artemis 2 mission for the students followed by a short student Q&A.