Canadian high-tech companies continue to cooperate with DARPA despite tensions

 Canadian high-tech companies continue to cooperate with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), despite trade and political tensions between the two countries. The Washington-based Center for Security Research and Development recently selected four Canadian companies for major programs that give the agency an early look at the hardware they are developing. The founders of these firms say that cooperation with DARPA can open up significant financial and trade opportunities and does not jeopardize their ability to remain Canadians. At the same time, they urge Canadian governments to offer similar support to ensure that the country retains strategic technology. Four Canadian high-tech companies have joined programs designed to provide the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency with an opportunity to familiarize itself with the powerful computing systems of the future.

The founders of the firms say that recent tensions between the United States and Canada have not affected their work with the American agency. But they want Ottawa to step up support for critical technologies. Four Canadian firms struck deals with the agency after November's presidential election, which upended Washington's approach to critical technologies.