If the Liberals & Conservatives worked together to pass a historic defence spending increase, it would go a long way toward demonstrating Canada’s resolve to defend our security & sovereignty.
It’s easy to talk about the fact that Canada is divided politically when we look at both the Liberals & Conservatives holding around 40% of the vote.
However, when combined with overwhelming anti-Trump sentiment in this country and a sense that we are under a severe external threat, an argument can be made that we are more unified than we have been in a long-time.
And now, with growing numbers of Canadians rallying around Canada’s two historic governing parties, there is less splintering of the vote.
Instead of languishing around 65-70% of the combined vote, the Conservatives & Liberals are now close to 80%.
Thus, if the Liberals & Conservatives were to cooperate – even for a short period of time – such cooperation would have significant democratic legitimacy, because the two parties undertaking such cooperation would have the combined support of nearly all Canadians.
So, what should that cooperation be focused on?
One word:
Rearmament.
Canada needs a massive and rapid rearmament, and this can only be done with immense levels of government spending.
Many people don’t want to hear that, but there is no way around it.
After decades of neglecting our military (something both Conservatives & Liberals are responsible for), Canada is now at risk of being left nearly undefended as our once-trusted ally the United States can no longer be depended upon.
There is no cheap way to address that neglect.
Understandably, neither main political party in Canada is chomping at the bit to promise hundreds of billions of dollars in military spending, especially ahead of an election campaign. They would prefer to promise social spending boosts and/or tax cuts to win votes.
But that kind of thinking is a luxury that we don’t have right now.
Our ongoing existence as a sovereign nation is under threat, and authoritarian regimes around the world are emboldened to a degree not seen since the 1930s.
In that kind of environment, rearmament is a must.
And here, we can learn from – of all nations – Germany.
Germany rearms
Hearing the words ‘Germany rearms’ would have once sent chills down the spines of leaders across Europe.
But things are very different today.
Other European nations have been practically begging Germany to use its significant industrial capacity and military production skills to take the lead in defending Europe.
Further – given Germany’s dark history – they are perhaps more well-equipped than any country to recognize the threat of authoritarianism and stop it before it spreads. Unlike in other countries where pro-Russia far-right populists surged into power, Germany’s far-right AfD party fell far short of the pro-Western centre-right CDU/CSU. And given how Germany’s proportional representation system requires parties to work together, it’s notable that the CDU/CSU has chosen to work with the centre-left SPD and has refused to work with the AfD, meaning Germany has rejected the far-right, even as the country is set to shift to the right on issues like immigration.
Germany’s constitution is also built to prevent extremist factions from gaining influence.
So, ‘German rearmament’ in 2025 isn’t the same as German rearmament in the 1910s or 1930s.
As a result, there has been widespread praise for Germany following the German Bundestag (Parliament) passing an immense military budget increase:
“German lawmakers have voted to allow a huge increase in defence and infrastructure spending – a seismic shift for the country that could reshape European defence.
A two-thirds majority of Bundestag parliamentarians, required for the change, approved the vote on Tuesday.
The law will exempt spending on defence and security from Germany’s strict debt rules, and create a €500bn ($547bn; £420bn) infrastructure fund.
This vote is a historic move for traditionally debt-shy Germany, and could be hugely significant for Europe, as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine grinds on, and after US President Donald Trump signalled an uncertain commitment to Nato and Europe’s defence.”
“EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the vote “excellent news”.
Speaking at a press conference with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, she said the vote “sends a very clear message to Europe that Germany is determined to invest massively in defence”.
Frederiksen meanwhile called it “fantastic news for all Europeans”.
This signifies how much the world has changed:
People are now cheering for a German military buildup.
Notably, the vote passed in the Bundestag with 513 in favour and 207 against, indicating a widespread political consensus on the issue.
This will help Germany going forward, as having multiple large parties vote in favour of the rearmament measure helps to depoliticize it and build long-term public buy-in.
Canada should learn from Germany’s example
Like Germany, Canada is a nation with a manageable level of debt (below France & the United States), which has severely underfunded its armed forces for years.
While we are not quite the manufacturing powerhouse that Germany is, we possess a strong manufacturing sector and a decent defence industry to build upon. We also have abundant natural resources that can help generate the capital necessary to finance military investment, and we have an impressive tech sector that could help us become a leader in drone technology. We also have one of the most well-educated populations in the world, meaning we likely have significant latent economic potential that we have not yet tapped into.
Add all of this to our strong economic and military ties with Europe, ties that are growing stronger with each passing day as fellow democracies respond to the disturbing turn of U.S. foreign policy, and you can see how Canada has what it takes to be a substantial military power.
Further, we are going to need substantial economic stimulus as we face tariffs from the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump is targeting our overall economy, specifically the aluminum, steel, and auto sectors. A military expansion would help protect jobs and preserve critical industrial capacity in those sectors.
With all of this in mind, we need our top political leaders to put partisanship aside – if even for just a week or so – and pass a massive increase to Canada’s military budget.
The visual of both Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre standing together to support a historic investment in the Canadian Armed Forces would help to underscore the seriousness of the moment and leave little doubt that Canadians are unified in our determination to remain a secure and independent nation.
There is no reason this can’t be done.
Canada is able to borrow at relatively affordable interest rates. Our debt remains quite sustainable. Our European friends are desperate for military contracts and we could help them by helping ourselves. And most importantly, our nation is worth protecting.
German politicians were able to set partisanship aside and overcome their aversion to higher military spending. Canadian politicians should do the same.
Spencer Fernando
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