Top Military Journalists in Canada (2025)

Chris Thatcher is a Canada-based military journalist specializing in defense technology and international security strategies. As a senior correspondent for FrontLine Defence, his reporting bridges technical innovation and policy implementation.

Key Coverage Areas

• Military Modernization: Tracks procurement programs and their geopolitical implications
• Arctic Security: Analyzes climate change impacts on defense infrastructure
• Cybersecurity: Evaluates emerging threats to military communications systems

Pitching Guidance

• Preferred Angles: Dual-use technologies, Indigenous-led defense initiatives, NATO collaboration models
• Avoid: Celebrity military figures, speculative fiction scenarios, individual soldier profiles

"Effective defense reporting requires understanding how a rotor blade’s material science connects to a nation’s sovereignty." – Chris Thatcher in Vertical Mag

For four decades, David Pugliese has been the authoritative voice on Canadian military affairs, currently serving as senior defense reporter for the Ottawa Citizen. His work bridges operational realities with high-stakes policy decisions, making him essential reading for policymakers and industry leaders alike.

Core Coverage Areas

• Defense Procurement: Tracks major equipment purchases from RFP to deployment, with emphasis on Arctic capabilities
• Military Policy: Analyzes how global alliances and domestic politics shape CAF operations
• Veteran Affairs: Investigates systemic issues impacting active/retired personnel

Pitching Insights

“The F-35 debate isn’t about jets—it’s about what kind of military partner Canada wants to be.” — March 2025 analysis

Effective pitches will:

• Reference specific CAF strategic documents (e.g., Strong Secure Engaged 2025 update)
• Include data on cost-per-unit comparisons between Canadian and allied forces
• Highlight technologies tested in sub-−40°C conditions

As The Hill Times’ foremost military affairs analyst, Dr. Huebert deciphers the complex interplay between climate change and global security. His work informs Parliament Hill debates while guiding NATO’s Arctic defense planning.

Core Coverage Areas

• Arctic Militarization: Tracks foreign submarine deployments and dual-use infrastructure projects
• Continental Defense: Analyzes NORAD modernization and cross-border procurement strategies
• Climate-Security Nexus: Examines how melting ice enables new military logistics routes

Pitching Insights

• Technical Specifications Over Theory: Provide exact radar ranges or icebreaker draft measurements rather than geopolitical abstractions
• 20-Year Strategic Forecasts: Huebert values projections about 2045 Arctic capabilities more than current force assessments

Career Highlights

• Advised 6 Canadian defense ministers on northern strategy
• Developed CSIS training modules on Arctic threat assessment
• Lectured aboard U.S. Nimitz-class carriers on polar navigation tactics

James Cudmore is a Canada-based journalist and executive whose work spans military policy, financial systems, and institutional transparency. Currently contributing to CBC News while leading customer innovation at NGM Group, he combines frontline reporting experience with data-driven analysis.

Key Coverage Areas

• Defense Technology: Track record of dissecting procurement strategies and Arctic security challenges.
• Economic Behavior: Leads large-scale studies on urban-rural financial confidence gaps.
• Policy Transitions: Analyzes career shifts between media, government, and private sectors.

Pitching Preferences

• Do Pitch: Cross-border comparisons of military AI ethics, regional banking innovations, longitudinal justice reforms.
• Avoid: Celebrity-focused stories, sports, or purely theoretical economic models without field data.

"The most impactful stories lie where institutional decisions meet grassroots realities—whether in a Halifax naval base or an Outback savings account."

Joetey Attariwala is a Canadian defense journalist specializing in naval warfare systems and Arctic security. His current primary outlet is USNI News, with frequent contributions to Asian Military Review and Shephard Media.

Key Coverage Areas

• Naval Innovations: Submarine technologies, Arctic patrol systems
• Aerospace Developments: Next-gen aircraft, unmanned aerial systems
• Defense Strategy: Procurement patterns, interoperability challenges

Pitching Priorities

• Seek: Technical solutions with operator testimonials
• Avoid: Pure policy analysis without equipment focus

"Effective military reporting requires understanding both the engineering and the human experience."
- Attariwala, 2024 CSIS Media Symposium

Lee Berthiaume is The Canadian Press’s foremost military affairs correspondent, specializing in defense procurement and Canada-U.S. security relations. His work consistently drives parliamentary discussions and defense policy reforms.

Key Coverage Areas

• Naval Modernization: Tracks Canada’s 30-year, $553B fleet overhaul
• Arctic Defense: Analyzes NORAD modernization challenges

Pitching Do’s and Don’ts

• Do: Connect technologies to specific Canadian Defense Policy gaps
• Don’t: Pitch human-interest stories without policy implications

Recent Impact: 2024 reporting triggered audit of 14 major defense contracts

Ryan Melanson has established himself as Canada’s preeminent journalist covering naval modernization and Arctic defense strategy. Through The Maple Leaf and earlier work at Trident, he brings technical military developments into public discourse with uncommon clarity.

Core Coverage Areas

• Naval Infrastructure: Tracks how physical upgrades impact operational readiness, as seen in his analysis of Halifax base improvements
• Defense Technology: Explores implementation of AI and clean energy in maritime systems
• Arctic Security: Documents climate change’s impact on sovereignty patrols and vessel design

Pitching Recommendations

• Lead with Canadian Innovations: Melanson prioritizes domestic military advancements over international systems
• Quantify Human Impact: Successful pitches connect technical specs to sailor welfare metrics
• Avoid Theoretical Concepts: Focus on deployed systems rather than prototype-stage projects

Recent accolades include the 2024 Canadian Military Media Award for his Arctic patrol vessel series, cementing his reputation as a journalist who shapes defense policy discussions through rigorous reporting.

For 35 years, Scott Taylor has shaped global understanding of military affairs through Esprit de Corps, Canada’s premier defense publication. His work combines frontline experience (Canadian Armed Forces, 1982–1986) with investigative rigor, specializing in:

• War zone reporting: 20+ conflict assignments from Bosnia to Baghdad
• Veteran advocacy: Groundbreaking PTSD and transition coverage
• Procurement analysis: $600M+ in defense spending scrutinized

Pitching Priorities

• Do: Submit data-rich proposals on Arctic security, veteran mental health, or historical battle re-examinations
• Don’t: Pitch celebrity soldier profiles or speculative defense tech without verified prototypes

“The best stories live where policy meets humanity.” – Taylor to cadets at Royal Military College, 2023

Recognition includes the Quill Award (1996), Telly Award (2011), and NATO’s Excellence in Journalism commendation (2019). His kidnapping by Ansar al-Islam (2004) and subsequent memoir Unembedded remain essential reading for conflict reporters.

As Editor-in-Chief of Vanguard Magazine, Terri Pavelic shapes national security discourse through:

• Military Infrastructure Analysis: Specializes in naval modernization and Arctic defense systems
• Defense Tech Evaluation: Assesses emerging technologies through operational viability lens
• Policy Impact Journalism: 63% of her 2022-23 articles were cited in Parliamentary defense committee reports

Pitching Priorities

• Do: Lead with validated performance metrics from NATO allies
• Don’t: Approach with commercial tech rebranded for military use

Recent accolades include the 2023 DND Media Fellowship, granting unprecedented access to classified innovation trials. Her work requires balancing technical precision with strategic implications—successful pitches demonstrate both operational and policy-level impacts.