If the world is plunged into a major war, partisanship here at home won’t matter all that much. And so, we should praise smart thinking on defence policy no matter where it comes from.
Much of the rabid partisanship we see today in the Western world – of which I have partaken in as much as anyone – is somewhat of a luxury.
It’s a luxury made possible by many years of relative peace and prosperity, meaning serious internal divisions came with little consequence.
Unfortunately, peace and prosperity are no longer guaranteed.
Many advanced nations – particularly Canada – are struggling to achieve the kind of economic growth numbers that were once seen as the norm.
China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are working together to undermine the free world, and are pouring resources into their war machines while the free world lags behind and just hopes for the best.
Yet, we are still so focused on internal divisions – seeing supporters of other parties as ‘the enemy’ – that we are failing to muster the seriousness and strength necessary to protect our citizens from our real enemies – hostile authoritarian states that want to reshape the world order through violence and stamp out human liberty.
Amongst our allies, Canada is perhaps the least serious nation of all.
At a time when we should be thinking about rebuilding our military NOW, the federal government is instead promising only to hit the bare minimum 2% NATO target by 2032.
It’s almost laughable, or at least it would be if the stakes weren’t so high.
By 2032, a massive global conflict may have already happened, so hitting the target by then could be far too late. Further, any weak link in the NATO alliance – and that’s what Canada would be if we don’t ramp up our military spending much sooner – increases the overall risk of defeat for the free world.
Thus, it is more important than ever for Canadians to get serious about the threats we face, and start directing resources towards protecting ourselves and our allies from those threats.
That’s why Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew’s recent call for the government to move up the timeline for meeting the target is worthy of praise:
“Speaking on the last day of the premiers’ annual summer meeting, Kinew said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should reach two per cent spending in four years.
“I want Canadians to see this as a national security thing. It’s an investment in the Canadian Armed Forces, but I encourage Canadians to think about this also as an investment in trade,” Kinew told reporters before going into closed-door meetings.
“If we’re not meeting our responsibility to our NATO allies, it is going to have an impact on [the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement] renewal. It is gonna have an impact on the relationship.”
Of course, I think we should hit the target immediately (something achievable with large-scale orders of tanks and huge investments in artillery shell production for example), but four years is certainly better than eight years.
And on this issue, it doesn’t matter that Wab Kinew is part of the NDP, what matters is that he is someone with a position of power and a large platform, and he is using that power and platform to advocate for a stronger national defence and the protection of our trade relationships.
Similarly, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is also showing leadership on the issue as she calls for the government to hit the NATO target:
“Alberta Premier Danielle Smith emphasizes the need for Canada to meet NATO’s 2% GDP defence spending.”
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith emphasizes the need for Canada to meet NATO's 2% GDP defence spending. pic.twitter.com/uewmqXNEcd
— True North (@TrueNorthCentre) July 19, 2024
When a Conservative Premier from Alberta and an NDP Premier from Manitoba are both pushing for Canada to hit the NATO target sooner rather than later, it tells you that they are both in tune with a deeper underlying truth that goes beyond partisanship.
In an increasingly dangerous and unstable world, our country must ensure we can defend ourselves. A strong national defence is not about defending only Conservatives, or only Liberals, or only New Democrats, it’s about defending all Canadians.
As Canadians, we should praise and support all leaders – regardless of their partisan affiliation – who are willing to ensure our nation is well-protected.
Spencer Fernando
Photo – YouTube
