MLT Aikins supports the inaugural Manitoba–U.K. Defence Summit
A new chapter in Manitoba–U.K. defence collaboration
MLT Aikins is pleased to participate as a strategic partner and sponsor of the inaugural Manitoba–U.K. Defence Summit, taking place September 28–29, 2026, in Winnipeg.
Organized by Sinclair Barnes Limited and supported by the Province of Manitoba, the City of Winnipeg, the Canadian High Commission to the U.K. and the U.K. High Commission to Canada, the invitation-only Summit will bring together policy makers, military leaders, industry executives, trade associations and professional advisers from Manitoba and the United Kingdom. Partners Reis Pagtakhan and Andrew Konopelny will represent MLT Aikins.
If your organization is exploring defence or aerospace opportunities in Manitoba, western Canada or with U.K. counterparts, we invite you to connect with our team.
What to expect at the Summit
Day one will focus on opportunities for increasing Manitoba-U.K. trade and collaboration supported by Canadian and U.K. defence industrial strategies. Day two will include site visits for U.K. delegates to Boeing at the National Research Council, StandardAero and Magellan Aerospace, along with business-to-business meetings with Manitoba counterparts.
Agenda themes include Arctic defence and sovereignty, supply chain integration, dual-use applications, procurement strategies and implementation. Delegates from 22 U.K. companies, and associations cross sectors such as aerospace, advanced manufacturing, subsea systems and structural battery technology, will engage with approximately 40 Manitoba businesses and 20 institutional champions, including the Business Council of Manitoba, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, Manitoba Aerospace & Defence, CentrePort Canada, the University of Manitoba and the Winnipeg Airports Authority. Structured roundtables facilitated by CME Defence, Make UK Defence and ADS Group will examine opportunities and constraints in the bilateral defence supply chain. Sessions will also cover military modernization at 17 Wing, CFB Shilo and Southport, along with NORAD perspectives on Arctic sovereignty and defence.
Why Manitoba, why now?
The Summit comes as Manitoba is strengthening its defence strategy. On September 8, 2026, the Province of Manitoba announced the launch of the Manitoba-Canada Defence Alliance (MCDA), a new initiative connecting government, industry, post-secondary institutions and the Canadian Armed Forces to attract defence and security investment and procurement opportunities.
The MCDA is supported by $320,000 in provincial funding, administered through Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, with funding set to increase to $600,000 over two years. Paul Soubry, former CEO of StandardAero and NFI Group, has been appointed Executive Champion. Manitoba Aerospace & Defence Inc., led by CEO Beverlie Stuart, will co-lead the initiative with the MCDA executive steering committee.
The MCDA steering committee includes representatives from all three levels of government, Prairies Economic Development Canada, the Canadian Armed Forces, CFB Winnipeg/17 Wing, NORAD, aerospace companies such as Boeing, StandardAero and Magellan Aerospace and organizations including the Business Council of Manitoba, CentrePort Canada, the University of Manitoba, Red River College Polytechnic and the Winnipeg Airports Authority. Its composition reflects the strength of Manitoba’s defence ecosystem.
The Summit will build on this provincial coordination and examine practical pathways for trade and collaboration between Canadian and U.K. defence sectors.
Looking ahead
The Summit is intended to support sustained Manitoba–U.K. collaboration beyond the two-day event. With the MCDA now coordinating provincial efforts to attract federal defence investment and procurement, the Summit provides a timely platform to connect Manitoba’s domestic ecosystem with international partners. Post-summit activities are expected to include information sharing, legal webinars on bilateral defence partnerships, joint market research, academic partnerships and further trade visits. MLT Aikins will contribute legal programming on topics such as export controls, procurement and dual-use intellectual property.
How MLT Aikins can help
For Manitoba’s business community, growth in the defence sector creates significant legal and regulatory considerations.
MLT Aikins advises on the areas most relevant to this landscape, including government relations and public policy, procurement and competitive bidding, export controls, sanctions and controlled goods compliance, intellectual property protection, corporate and commercial structuring, immigration under the Canada–United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement, cybersecurity, data protection and defence-related regulatory compliance.
Whether a company is pursuing a defence procurement opportunity, structuring a partnership with a U.K. counterpart or managing controlled goods and technology across borders, our team can provide practical, strategic counsel.
