Context: The Confederation Report
Host: Steven R. Martins
Language: English
This is The Confederation Report, a weekly analysis of Canadian news and culture from a Biblical worldview.
Part I: Canada to Increase Defence Spending (0:05-3:56)
After decades of neglect, Canada is making a historic shift by committing to spend 5% of its GDP on national defence by 2035 in response to growing global threats and international pressure.
Part II: From National to Provincial (4:00-7:49)
A recent attempt to steal the Ontario Premier’s vehicle has provided occasion to explore the biblical case for self-defence, highlighting that while Canadian law remains restrictive, Scripture upholds the right to protection exercised with wisdom, restraint, and justice.
Part III: Contemplating our Religious Condition (7:53-11:26)
Canada’s steady descent into rebranded paganism underscores the urgent need for the church to recover a biblical vision of nation-building—one that proclaims Christ’s lordship over all of life with clarity, courage, and a confident, long-term hope.
Did You Know? (11:30-12:35)
The War of 1812 marked the first time Canada, then a British colony, defended itself against U.S. invasion, sparking a nascent national identity even as it revealed the cost borne—and later overlooked—by its First Nations allies.
Recommended Reading (12:37-13:16)
This week’s recommended resource, Roots and Branches by Robert D. Knudsen, offers penetrating essays on twentieth-century thought and concludes with a rich engagement with the Reformational philosophy of Herman Dooyeweerd—making it essential reading for students of Christian philosophy and culture.
Transcript:
It’s Week 26 of 2025, and this is The Confederation Report, a weekly analysis of Canadian news and culture from a biblical worldview. My name is Steven R. Martins, Director of the Cántaro Institute, and each week we provide a Christian perspective on the headlines, critically engage secular narratives, and apply biblical truth to the cultural and societal issues of our time. Because Christ is Lord—over Canada, over culture, over all of life.
Part I: Canada to Increase Defence Spending (0:05-3:56)
When most people think of the United States, they often envision its formidable military presence—fleets, bases, and global operations. Canada, by contrast, rarely evokes the same image. For years, Canada’s military has lagged behind, hampered by outdated equipment, personnel shortages, underfunding, and persistent challenges in caring for its veterans. In fact, Canada has often appeared content to lean on its geography and the protection of its southern neighbor rather than prioritize national defence.
This posture has not gone unnoticed. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, known for his blunt criticism of NATO allies, has repeatedly singled out Canada for failing to meet its obligations—calling its military condition inadequate and a liability to continental security. His concerns have been echoed amid reports of possible Chinese and Russian incursions into Canada’s Arctic, revealing the vulnerabilities in the nation’s northern frontier.
But now, under significant international pressure—especially from Trump—Canada is undergoing a dramatic shift in defence policy. At the recent NATO summit in The Hague, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada will adopt a new military spending target: five per cent of its GDP by 2035. This far exceeds NATO’s long-standing benchmark of two per cent, a target Canada has yet to reach. The new commitment breaks down to 3.5 per cent for military operations and 1.5 per cent for defence infrastructure, such as ports, airports, critical minerals, and telecommunications.
Carney admitted the scale of the undertaking, projecting an eventual annual military budget of around $150 billion. Yet he defended the decision as a necessary response to evolving threats from hostile states and the emergence of intercontinental weapons systems. “We can no longer count on our geography to protect us,” Carney said in a recent CNN interview. “We are protecting Canadians against new threats. I wish we didn’t have to… but we do.”
The move also comes with promises to reform Canada’s long-criticized defence procurement process. Government audits have highlighted a consistent failure to spend allocated funds due to bureaucratic bottlenecks. Carney now pledges to overhaul the system to allow faster and more effective purchasing—including favoring Canadian-made equipment when appropriate.
Even before reaching the original two per cent NATO target, Carney had already committed to increasing defence spending by over $9 billion in the current fiscal year—in part to grant Canadian Armed Forces personnel a much-needed 20 per cent raise. As he stated, “They haven’t been operating with the right equipment. In many cases… their equipment hasn’t been working.”
The new five per cent goal marks a historic reorientation in Canadian defence. Whether the federal government can meet its promises while balancing the budget and growing the economy remains to be seen. However, we know this for certain: After decades of neglect, Canada is finally being forced to take its national defence seriously.
Part II: From National to Provincial (4:00-7:49)
Speaking of self-defence, we can shift the conversation from the national level to the provincial. The occasion for this transition is the recent news that a group of individuals attempted to steal Premier Doug Ford’s vehicle from his home. I know people who have had their vehicles stolen, only to later find out that they had been shipped overseas and sold in places like the Middle East. I haven’t had that experience myself—and I hope I never do—but it seems it took an attempted theft on the Premier for greater public awareness to be raised about the need to protect oneself and one’s property.
Premier Ford referenced the “Castle Law” in the United States, which permits Americans to defend themselves in their homes without a duty to retreat. Canada, however, does not have such a legal provision. Our Criminal Code permits self-defence only under strict conditions—typically requiring that one’s life be in imminent danger. Even then, defenders are often treated with suspicion while criminals seem to enjoy the benefit of the doubt. It’s no surprise many Canadians view our self-defence laws as, frankly, inadequate. Perhaps with the increase in carjackings, home invasions, and violent crimes, there will be momentum for legal reform.
This broader conversation reminds me of a debate I once participated in about Luke 22, where Jesus instructed His disciples to purchase a sword. Was Jesus advocating the spread of the gospel by the sword? Certainly not. When Peter attempted to use the sword to defend Jesus by striking the servant’s ear, he was swiftly rebuked: “Those who live by the sword will die by the sword” (Matt. 26:52). The sword was never used for gospel ministry, but it did serve a practical, lawful purpose—self-defence against bandits and attackers. Christ did not forbid His disciples from defending themselves, and in fact, He prepared them to do so.
This principle finds support in Scripture. In Exodus 22:2–3, the Law makes a distinction: if a thief is killed in the dark of night during a break-in, the homeowner is not guilty of bloodshed; but if it happens in daylight, the defender is guilty. Why? Because the Mosaic Law recognizes the chaos and threat of a nighttime invasion but cautions against using lethal force when clearer judgment is possible. The right to defend oneself and one’s property is present, but it is to be exercised with wisdom, restraint, and proportionality.
Paul, too, offers us an example of self-defence—not through violence, but through the legal system. In Jerusalem, he avoided an unlawful flogging by asserting his Roman citizenship. He did something similar in Philippi, seeking an official apology after his rights were violated (Acts 16:37–39). And in Luke 18, Jesus told a parable about a persistent widow who demanded justice from an unrighteous judge. She didn’t retaliate; she pursued lawful means of protection and vindication.
We must also remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:39 to “turn the other cheek.” This was a call not to retaliation, but to resist escalating personal offense into personal vengeance. Self-defence is not the same as revenge, and the Christian is to respond not out of hatred, but wisdom, restraint, and love.
The Bible does not forbid self-defence. Christians may lawfully protect themselves and their families. But not every situation demands it, and not every offense requires a response. Our call is to seek wisdom from above (James 3:17), to walk in righteousness, and to remember that even in defending what is ours, we are to do so in a manner consistent with the Lord’s character.
Part III: Contemplating our Religious Condition (7:53-11:26)
This matter of self-defence, given the cultural upheaval and instability we’re experiencing, has had me think back at the past few decades. Canada’s descent into paganism has been neither subtle nor sudden. It has been a slow drift followed by a sharp plunge. Our public institutions, once bearing at least nominal allegiance to Christ and His moral order, now enforce a new orthodoxy: one that demands submission to the prevailing ideologies of our times. This is not the secularist’s “neutrality” as they would like us to believe, its instead religion rebranded—complete with its own holy days, doctrines, and forms of excommunication. Much like ancient Rome’s imperial cult, our modern powers at be insist on public allegiance to its pantheon. And as in Rome, refusal to bow comes with a price.
The church in Canada has too often met this cultural moment with either silence or surrender. Some congregations have proudly embraced the new state religion, while others—still orthodox in doctrine—have functionally denied Christ’s kingship by retreating from public witness. This retreat is rooted in a fundamental misapprehension of the gospel’s scope and the church’s calling. The gospel is not a privatized salvation plan for disembodied souls. It’s the announcement that Jesus Christ is Lord—over individuals, families, nations, and cultures. Where this is believed, preached, and lived, it transforms societies. Where it is denied or truncated, the void will be filled by false, counterfeit rival lords. And in our case, it has been.
Yet, not all hope is lost. While North America may be entering a long winter of cultural deconstruction, the church further south, that of Latin America, still sails—battered, but afloat. I spoke recently with pastors down that way in different countries. They expressed fears that revealed a deep awareness of what’s at stake. Their nations are beginning to imitate our apostasy, yet they also recognize that time remains to chart a different course. The question is not whether culture will be shaped by religion, but which religion will shape it. Will Christ be honored in law, education, and civil society—or will the pagan cult of “self” continue to ascend? The church’s task is to recover the clarity, confidence, and courage to proclaim Christ’s crown rights over all things.
On that matter, a biblical vision of nation-building begins here: with the church understanding itself not merely as a spiritual hospital, but as a herald of the kingdom, a discipler of nations, and a leaven within every sphere of life. This biblical vision demands an eschatology of hope, not of despair. The rot in our culture is deep, but the roots of God’s kingdom are deeper still. While our efforts in Canada may take generations to bear fruit, we must plow nonetheless—with eyes fixed on Christ and hands committed to the long work of renewal. And may we find encouragement in the foresight and proactive perseverance of the body of Christ in Latin American mission fields. They may look at our country in fear of what awaits theirs, but they also look to the church up here to see what we will do, and how we do it.
Did You Know? (11:30-12:35)
The War of 1812 was the first time that Canada defended itself from a foreign enemy. Canada, a British colony at the time, repelled multiple American invasions in the War of 1812—thanks in large part to local militias. Though the war ended in a draw, it sparked a budding sense of Canadian identity. However, while First Nations allies like Tecumseh played a crucial role in defending the land, their sacrifices were soon forgotten, and the war marked a loss of hope for stopping American expansion westward.
Tensions leading to war stemmed from Britain’s naval blockades during the Napoleonic Wars and its practice of seizing American sailors. In 1807, the infamous Chesapeake Affair erupted when the British warship HMS Leopard fired on the American frigate Chesapeake after its captain refused a search for British deserters. Three Americans were killed, and four sailors were seized—an event that outraged the U.S. public. Believing Canada would be easy to conquer, and stirred by nationalist “War Hawks,” the U.S. declared war in June 1812.
Recommended Resource (12:37-13:16)
This week’s recommended resource is Roots and Branches by Robert D. Knudsen. This wide-ranging collection of essays explores the philosophical underpinnings of key twentieth-century thinkers and movements, including critical analyses of Rudolf Bultmann, Nicolas Berdyaev, Karl Jaspers, and a four-part series on Paul Tillich—whom Knudsen studied under. The final section highlights Knudsen’s deep engagement with the Reformational thought of Herman Dooyeweerd, offering four insightful articles on his philosophy. A student of Van Til and Zuidema, Knudsen combines sharp critique with confessional clarity, making this volume an essential resource for those interested in Christian philosophy and cultural analysis.
Closing Words
Thanks for listening to The Confederation Report, this podcast is brought to you by the Cántaro Institute. Visit our website at cantaroinstitute.org for more information. For books to read on worldview, philosophy, and theology, visit our store at cantaroinstitute.store
We’ll meet again next week.
Documentation and Additional Reading:
The National Post (Christopher Nardi)
Canada commits to new NATO defence spending target of 5% of GDP
The Star (Allison Jones, Liam Casey)
Masked Men Tried to Steal Vehicle from Ontario Premier Doug Fords Home, He Says