Trudeau privately told NATO officials that Canada will never meet NATO’s defense-spending target of 2 percent of GDP
Posted: Sun May 07, 2023 6:10 am
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https://warontherocks.com/2023/05/prepa ... hallenges/
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau privately told NATO officials that Canada will never meet NATO’s defense-spending target of 2 percent of GDP. While this made headlines in Canada and abroad, it surprised few in Canadian foreign policy and defense circles.
The war in Ukraine has raised new security concerns among America’s allies. For many in Western Europe and North America, U.S. military primacy allowed for a state of complacency and low military spending. As the United States and its allies assembled to support Ukraine, the demands of 21st-century warfare exposed weaknesses in military capacity for the United States and its key allies — in particular Canada.
Canada, which has historically been shielded from external security challenges, recently expanded its security role to respond to threats — in particular the threat of a Taiwan contingency — more seriously. The government has launched a new Indo-Pacific Strategy aimed at China, entered formal bilateral trade talks with Taiwan, and sailed warships through the Taiwan Strait. This signals Canada’s intention to play a larger role in Indo-Pacific security.
Despite these promising signals, Canada’s national security apparatus remains weak for a country of its size, wealth, and geography. Currently, its deficiencies in military spending and capacity means that it is unable to contribute much beyond providing stern warnings to deter a possible Chinese military invasion of Taiwan. Moreover, Canadian public opinion surrounding military spending, combined with deficiencies in the Canadian Armed Forces, suggests that it is unrealistic to assume the government will follow Japan’s lead and embark on a military build-up.
https://warontherocks.com/2023/05/prepa ... hallenges/
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau privately told NATO officials that Canada will never meet NATO’s defense-spending target of 2 percent of GDP. While this made headlines in Canada and abroad, it surprised few in Canadian foreign policy and defense circles.
The war in Ukraine has raised new security concerns among America’s allies. For many in Western Europe and North America, U.S. military primacy allowed for a state of complacency and low military spending. As the United States and its allies assembled to support Ukraine, the demands of 21st-century warfare exposed weaknesses in military capacity for the United States and its key allies — in particular Canada.
Canada, which has historically been shielded from external security challenges, recently expanded its security role to respond to threats — in particular the threat of a Taiwan contingency — more seriously. The government has launched a new Indo-Pacific Strategy aimed at China, entered formal bilateral trade talks with Taiwan, and sailed warships through the Taiwan Strait. This signals Canada’s intention to play a larger role in Indo-Pacific security.
Despite these promising signals, Canada’s national security apparatus remains weak for a country of its size, wealth, and geography. Currently, its deficiencies in military spending and capacity means that it is unable to contribute much beyond providing stern warnings to deter a possible Chinese military invasion of Taiwan. Moreover, Canadian public opinion surrounding military spending, combined with deficiencies in the Canadian Armed Forces, suggests that it is unrealistic to assume the government will follow Japan’s lead and embark on a military build-up.