A majority also feel we are falling behind when it comes to military strength.
A new Angus Reid survey shows a majority of Canadians support increasing Canada’s defence budget, and a majority believe we are falling behind in terms of military power:
45% say we should increase our military budget to match the 2% of GDP on military spending NATO commitment we made years ago, while 8% say we should exceed that commitment.
By contrast, 30% say we should maintain current funding levels, while 16% say we should cut the military budget.
Support for increasing military spending is highest among Conservative voters, 71% of whom say we should either hit or exceed the 2% target.
50% of Liberal voters and 38% of NDP voters say the same.
The survey also shows 58% of Canadians believe we are “falling behind” the international community when it comes to military power.
57% say we are falling behind in terms of domestic influence.
29% say we are falling behind in foreign aid.
And 50% say we are falling behind in trade competitiveness.
Notably, those numbers are all worse than what Canadians said in the final months of the Harper government in 2015, meaning Canadians believe Canada’s international standing has declined.
These poll results are positive, because it shows there will be a receptive audience for the type of military build up that Canada needs to undertake in order to both defend ourselves and contribute more effectively to our alliances, especially at a time when military spending in countries like China is ramping up:
Beijing’s military budget will increase 7.2%,..military budget of Rmb1.67tn($232bn)has more than doubled over the past decade under Xi Jinping. US..experts have argued that the actual military expenditures are far higher..thanks to classified expenditures. https://t.co/xZl9SzQ0QK
— Sari Arho Havrén (@SariArhoHavren) March 5, 2024
Spencer Fernando
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