Achi news desk-
A bipartisan group of US senators is appealing directly to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to ensure Canada meets a NATO target of spending at least two per cent of GDP on defence, a benchmark Ottawa is unlikely to meet this decade.
A letter to Trudeau dated Thursday and signed by 23 senators warns that Canada risks failing to meet its commitments to the alliance as it faces “one of the most difficult threat landscapes in its history.”
It comes about two months before the US is due to host NATO’s annual summit, which will mark the 75th anniversary of its founding.
“As we approach the 2024 NATO summit in Washington, D.C., we are deeply concerned and disappointed that Canada’s latest forecast showed it will not meet its two percent commitment this decade,” the letter said.
“Canada will not meet its commitments to the alliance, to the detriment of all NATO allies and the free world, without immediate and significant action to increase defense spending.”
Canada’s new defense policy update projects $7.9 billion in new spending on Canada’s armed forces over the next five years, which would raise defense spending to 1.76% of GDP by the 2029-30 fiscal year.
The Liberal government has repeatedly refused to say definitively when or if it will ever meet NATO’s two percent threshold, which was reiterated in the all-member agreement signed at last year’s summit.
Good news from Canada and around the world sent to your email while it’s happening.
Defense Secretary Bill Blair says he is pursuing even more spending not included in the new defense policy, including the purchase of a new submarine fleet, that could push Canada beyond 1.76 percent and even bring it to two percent. But he also says those liabilities need to be paid for first, and he tried to make the “business case” to secure the additional funding.
“We need to get it right, we need to take our time, we are doing this work now, we have excellent people working on it to refine exactly what we need,” he told reporters in Ottawa on Thursday when asked about the Senators’ letter.
Blair would not provide a timeline for when that work might lead to a firm spending commitment, but he said that even after Canada “necessarily” reaches the two per cent mark, he will seek additional funding that would increase defense spending even further.
“We know we have work to do … and I’m sure I can assure those concerned senators that Canada will be a willing and able ally to NATO, North America and NORAD and around the world,” he said.
The growing focus on the two percent target comes as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine more than two years later, and has begun testing the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in direct warning to NATO nations.
Former US President Donald Trump, who is running to return to the White House this year, has also raised concerns among allies after recently vowing not to come to the defense of friends who default on their spending commitments.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said earlier this month that the spending target should be raised further, to 2.5% of GDP, to meet the current global threat environment.
Thursday’s letter was led by Democratic Sen. Gene Shaheen of New Hampshire and Republican Sen. Tom Tillis of North Carolina, who chair the US Senate’s NATO observer group. Other signatories include Republican Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah, Ted Cruz of Texas and Dan Sullivan of Alaska, along With Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Tim Kaine of Virginia.
Although the senators commend Canada for taking a leading role in supporting NATO military operations, including the Multinational Battle Group in Latvia, they also express concern about the need to modernize NORAD — “a process that can only move forward with the direct cooperation of your government. “
Ottawa has committed around $40 billion to modernizing the US-Canada Land Defense Organisation, along with billions to buy F-35 fighter jets and build new naval vessels. The defense policy update contained no new commitments for NORAD beyond that modernization plan, but a significant portion One of its new expenditures focuses on Arctic defense.
“Later this year, when the US hosts the 2024 NATO summit to set priorities for the coming year, we will expect your government and every NATO member that has not met the two percent defense spending threshold to have a plan to reach that threshold. As soon as possible,” the letter said.
“We anticipate a strong partnership between the US, Canada and all allies to achieve the benchmarks the alliance has identified to enable us to protect democracy, maintain security and expand opportunity.”
The Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment on the letter to the Ministry of Defence, which addressed Blair’s comments on Thursday.
Although the letter marks a rare direct appeal from a Canadian ally to a prime minister, US lawmakers have previously taken issue with Canada’s lack of defense spending.
Last year, Sullivan blasted NORAD commander US General Gregory Gilio during his confirmation hearing on Canada’s “incredibly disappointing” defense budget, saying “Americans are frustrated when our allies don’t pull their weight.”
During his meeting with Blair last week, Austin praised Canada’s defense policy update and said it would “help” Canada reach the two percent NATO commitment.
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
