How long will our allies put up with this?
Generally, we want to see Canada stand out among our peers.
But that’s not always the case.
For example, at a time when the world is getting more and more dangerous, the last thing we should want is for Canada to stand out for refusing to adequately fund our national defence.
As it turns out, that’s exactly what we are doing.
Canada is the only NATO country in the ‘bottom-left-quadrant,’ meaning we are the only NATO country that both spends less than 2% of GDP on our military while also spending less than 20% of our military budget on equipment:
Not good, Canada. (Source: @NATO) pic.twitter.com/U0HInfIjVm
— Roland Paris (@rolandparis) March 28, 2024
As former Defence Minister Peter MacKay noted, this is “beyond not good,” and is “a national embarassment.”
Beyond not good. A national embarrassment that signals to allies & adversaries that we are vulnerable. https://t.co/x3blwNevIq
— Peter MacKay (@PeterMacKay) March 28, 2024
It remains absolutely stunning that the Liberals refuse to invest in our national defence while spending insane amounts of money everywhere else.
Canada must wake up, and step up.
The United States, for both political and budgetary reasons, may pull back some of their military commitments, at a time when China and Russia are rapidly expanding their military spending. Canada can no longer pretend that everything will just somehow work out. Instead, we need to start investing in our military at a much higher level, and must become a strong part of our alliance networks, rather than being a weak link.
Spencer Fernando
