A journey of a thousand miles (or kilometres in Canada’s case) begins with a single step.
Today, Canada took the first step in rearming for a more dangerous world and adapting to a world where the United States is a less reliable partner.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada will hit the 2% NATO target by the end of the current fiscal year, and will purchase new drones, planes, ships, submarines, radar systems, sensors, ammunition, and more.
The announcement was long on rhetoric, while shorter on details, though those details are set to come later today. But that rhetoric was notable in itself.
For example, Carney noted Canada’s precarious position as a middle power:
“Middle powers must compete for interests and attention, knowing if they’re not at the table, they’re on the menu.”
Carney also referred to this moment as a “hinge point” in history, when Canada must “step up” as Canada did in the Second World War.
The Prime Minister spoke of the need to deepen partnerships with European and other partners that share our values, while reducing our reliance upon the United States.
While I will have more to say when further details are released, I believe the Prime Minister deserves credit for this shift towards a more resilient defence posture.
Under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada was set to hit 2% of GDP by 2032, a timeline that was borderline negligent given the risks we face.
By contrast, Carney plans to hit the target this fiscal year, half a decade ahead of schedule.
That is notable and worth praise.
While 2% is still far from what Canada should be spending, it at least provides a foundation for further rearmament.
Additionally, unlike Trudeau, Carney seems to grasp the key responsibility of the federal government: National defence.
Carney alluded to precisely that, showing a level of seriousness that was absent in the previous government.
Further, Carney referenced the importance of domestic defence production, which is key to ensuring Canadian rearmament helps support Canadian industries, Canadian jobs, and long-term military resilience by reducing our dependence on foreign suppliers.
Aligned with that domestic focus, Carney announced a new organization that will invest in Canadian artificial intelligence and quantum computing capabilities, both of which will play a key role in warfare and national security going forward.
A foundation to build on
The 2% target is already outdated.
The upcoming NATO summit will almost certainly feature an agreement to raise the target to 5% (3.5% on core defence investment, 1.5% on defence-related investment). So, having delayed for a decade (we agreed to the 2% target in 2014), we are going to hit the target as it becomes obsolete.
Canada will have to go much further than 2%.
That said, today’s announcement is still important because it represents a defence foundation we can build on.
Investment in domestic production, higher pay, expanded recruitment, research and development, and more will create Canadian-owned capabilities that can be scaled up in the medium to long term. Deepening ties with European and Asian allies that share our values will make it easier to both acquire equipment and form defence-industrial partnerships with skilled military producers.
Until today, there was little prospect of that foundation being built. Now, construction is underway. The task for all of us is to help build support for this foundation, hold the government accountable to ensure they turn their rhetoric into action, and build more national support for expanded rearmament.
Spencer Fernando
Image – YouTube
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