Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne says his goal is to help make Canada the NATO partner of choice when it comes to supplying critical minerals as defence becomes a focus for many countries.

Refining is the "name of the game" and Canada can do better than just shipping those high-demand materials south in their raw form, Champagne told a Calgary business audience Monday, almost a week after he delivered the latest federal budget.

"Exploration, extraction is something. But what we need is refining. That's the key," he said.

Minerals like titanium, used to make submarines, are crucial to defence initiatives, he added.

The budget released last Tuesday outlines a plan for a $2 billion " critical minerals sovereign fund " over five years for equity investments, loan guarantees a

See Full Page