Why a boost in defence spending may be the best offence against economic stagnation

At a sprawling assembly plant in Brampton, Ont., technicians with Canadian military contractor Roshel have been hustling to build hundreds of specialized light armoured vehicles (LAVs) as part of Canada's contribution to Ukraine's war effort. In August, Roshel announced it would begin buying Canadian-made steel for use in the custom ballistic armour that clads its LAVs. That move puts the company in the sweet spot of Prime Minister Mark Carney's efforts to find new ways to support Canadian industries kneecapped by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs. Founded in 2016 by Roman Shimonov, a Soviet emigré by way of Israel, Roshel…