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Built in Canada, Armed for the World: Roshel’s Bet on Sovereign Defence

As Ottawa backs its boldest defence industrial policy in a generation, Brampton’s Roshel is positioning itself at the centre of Canada’s sovereign armoured vehicle capability — from the steel in the ground to the fleet on the front line. When Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled Canada’s first-ever Defence Industrial Strategy in February 2026, the message was unambiguous: Canada would stop sending three-quarters of its defence capital budget south of the border. With a commitment to direct 70 per cent of defence acquisitions to Canadian firms — backed by more than $500 billion in projected investment over a decade and a historic achievement of the NATO two-per-cent spending target — Ottawa has issued a long-term call for greater engagement from domestic industry. The Brampton, Ontario-based manufacturer of smart armoured vehicles has spent the past decade quietly building one of the most vertically integrated defence production operations in the country. Now, with the policy winds fir...
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Sotheby’s Paris Notches a $41 M. Modern and Contemporary Sale, Led by a $12 M. Monet Unseen for a Century

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Two paintings by French Impressionist Claude Monet led a Sotheby’s Paris sale of modern and contemporary art on Thursday that racked up €35 million ($41 million). That figure is up more than 84 percent on the equivalent sale from last year and exceeds the pre-sale estimate of €22.4–€32.1 million ($26.6–$37.8 million). The total was the house’s second-highest ever in France for a sale in the category. Nearly 63 percent of lots sold above their high estimates, and 66 percent of lots were making their auction debut.  “Today’s results mark a defining moment for Sotheby’s and for Paris more widely,” Thomas Bompard, co-head of modern and contemporary art, Sotheby’s Paris, said in a statement. “From the extraordinary Monet prices achieved, to the electric atmosphere and spirited bidding that animated a packed saleroom, the auction captured a market alive with confidence as collectors from around the world leaned in, competed, and ultimately turned their eyes once again to Paris.” The s...
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CSS Asterix: A Proven Force Multiplier for Canada’s Navy and Our NATO Allies

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How a proven, made‑in‑Canada innovative service restored critical naval capability, reduced cost to taxpayers, and offers a model for future maritime readiness. Introduction: Capability, Delivered When It Mattered Naval power is not measured solely by the number of warships in a fleet. It is measured by how long those ships can remain at sea, how far they can operate from home ports, and how reliably they can be sustained in demanding environments. Endurance, readiness, and resilience are the quiet determinants of maritime effectiveness, often invisible to the public, but decisive in operations. For the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), the introduction of CSS Asterix marked the restoration of a critical capability at a pivotal moment. Delivered in 2018, through a Contractor Owned, Contractor Operated (COCO) service delivery model, Asterix demonstrated that Canada could rapidly regain at‑sea support capacity by combining private capital, commercial marine expertise, and naval professiona...
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The Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV)

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The Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) is the backbone of Canada’s fighting vehicle fleet. The General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-Canada) LAV 6.0 family of vehicles remains a highly capable, protected, platform. It continues to evolve to meet emerging threats, incorporating new technologies and capabilities to ensure Canadian soldiers remain protected and effective on the modern battlefield. Modern conflict is increasingly defined by what military leaders call the “fight for information.” Success on today’s battlefield depends on the ability to see first, understand faster, and act decisively. For Canadian soldiers, this means being trained and equipped to generate and sustain effects, and not only to move and fight, but to sense, process, and share information in real time. Canada’s next generation of armoured combat vehicles will reflect this reality. Built on an open digital architecture and equipped with advanced sensors, these platforms will integrate data from uncrewed system...
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Beowolff Combines Artsy and Artnet in Digital Art Market Push

Artsy and Artnet are being brought under the same ownership, consolidating two of the art world’s largest online platforms across data, media, auctions, and e-commerce. The companies said Wednesday that they will continue to operate as separate brands, even as they combine their underlying infrastructure and data. The move follows Beowolff Capital’s acquisition of a controlling stake in Artsy and its decision last year to  take Artnet private , bringing both businesses under the same umbrella. Jeffrey Yin, who has led Artsy since 2024, will serve as chief executive of the combined company, with Beowolff founder Andrew Wolff as chairman.  The tie-up comes amid a broader wave of consolidation across the art-tech sector, as companies look to scale up their offerings and capture more of the market’s digital infrastructure. Last year, inventory management firm  Artlogic merged with gallery software company ArtCloud,  combining a client base of more than 6,000 users an...
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The Next Generation of Warfighter Training

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As global threats evolve and operational environments grow more complex, the way militaries train must transform just as rapidly. In this episode of Vanguard Radio , host J. Richard Jones sits down with Jay Ballard, Vice President of Defence-Learning at Calian Defence Canada, to explore what it takes to prepare the next generation of warfighters. Drawing on more than two decades of operational experience as a U.S. Navy Commander—including nearly 4,000 flight hours, multiple deployments, and elite credentials such as TOPGUN Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor—Ballard brings a practitioner’s lens to one of defence’s most urgent challenges: modernizing military training for a rapidly changing battlespace. The conversation dives into how the character of warfare is shifting toward multi-domain, data-driven operations—and what that means for training systems across land, sea, air, cyber, and space. From the integration of C5ISRT capabilities to the rise of synthetic training envir...
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Brian Eno, FKA Twigs, Jim Jarmusch Among Sound Artists Commissioned for Vatican Pavilion at Venice Biennale

The Pavilion of the Holy See at this year’s Venice Biennale will focusing on listening by way of commissioned sound works by artists and musicians including Brian Eno, FKA Twigs, Jim Jarmusch, Patti Smith, Devonté Hynes, Laraaji, Kali Malone, Caterina Barbieri, and Terry Riley. The work in the pavilion will take the form of a “sonic prayer” and is inspired by the 12th-century abbess and musical composer Saint Hildegard of Bingen. Under the title “The Ear Is the Eye of the Soul,” the works by 24 artists will be presented in two venues: the Mystical Garden of the Discalced Carmelites, in the Cannaregio district of Venice, and the Complesso di Santa Maria Ausiliatrice, in Castello. The exhibition is curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Ben Vickers, in collaboration with Soundwalk Collective. The idea behind it was “conceived in response to Koyo Kouoh’s curatorial proposition for Biennale Arte 2026 to slow down and attune to a quieter register,” according to a press release. In the Mys...
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