Canada’s military spending remains far below the NATO target of 2% of GDP.
The number one job of the federal government is to protect our national security.
Especially in a nation like Canada covering a large landmass – and with significant natural resources – the federal government should focus on getting the big things right – such as national defence, while leaving most of the rest to the provinces.
In Canada however, things have worked out quite differently.
The federal government continues to grow in size and scope, and involve itself in more and more aspects of our lives.
Meanwhile, our Armed Forces continue to face severe issues with underfunding.
Canada spends about 1.3% of GDP on national defence, well below the NATO 2% target.
However, even that figure is misleading.
As noted by the Globe & Mail, recent ‘increases’ in defence spending are largely based on an accounting change:
“Then there are the accounting adjustments Canada made in 2017 that pushed up the proportion of GDP spent on defence. Those changes, allowed under NATO accounting rules, wrapped in the cost of military pensions and military-related spending from ministries outside of Defence. Without those changes, defence spending as a percentage of GDP would have barely budged during the Liberals’ time in office through to 2020. Virtually all of the progress since 2014 toward meeting NATO’s target of 2 per cent can be ascribed to that accounting change.”
This isn’t solely a Trudeau issue however.
While military spending increased during the early part of the Harper government, it took a back seat to balancing the budget later on.
But now, we live in a very different world.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s large military build-up makes it clear we can’t just hope for the best. A strong national defence is becoming a necessity, not a luxury.
And with that in mind, a recent video by Opposition Defence Critic James Bezan indicates the Conservatives are going to make a stronger national defence part of their pitch to Canadians:
Everything under Justin Trudeau feels broken – including our Canadian Armed Forces. He and his Liberals have to go!@PierrePoilievre and our Conservative team are ready to step up for those who stand on guard to keep Canada the true north, strong and free. #SupportOurTroops pic.twitter.com/AatkFLV86H
— James Bezan (@jamesbezan) March 3, 2023
Let’s hope this is part of a real move towards advocating for more military spending, more procurement of advanced equipment, and stronger recruitment efforts.
Spencer Fernando
Photo – Twitter
