A bipartisan group of US senators is appealing directly to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to ensure Canada meets NATO’s goal of spending at least two per cent of GDP on defence, a benchmark Ottawa is not expected to meet this time around. 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 serious threat landscapes in its history.”
It comes about two months before the United States hosts the annual NATO summit, which will mark its 75th anniversary.
“As we approach the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, DC, we are concerned and deeply disappointed that Canada’s most recent projection indicates that it will not meet its two per cent commitment this decade,” the letter says. .
“Canada will not meet its obligations 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 newly revealed defense policy update forecasts $7.9 billion in new spending for the Canadian Armed Forces over the next five years, which would raise defense spending to 1.76 per cent of GDP by fiscal year 2029. -30.
The Liberal government has repeatedly refused to say definitively whether it will ever reach NATO’s 2 per cent target, which was reiterated in the all-member agreement signed at last year’s summit.
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However, Defense Minister Bill Blair said after meeting his US counterpart Lloyd Austin in Washington last week that he is looking to spend even more that was not included in the new defense policy, including the purchase of a new fleet of submarines. That could take Canada beyond 1.76 per cent, although Blair did not say whether he would reach two per cent.
The growing interest in 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 a direct warning to NATO countries.
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 members who fail to meet their spending commitments.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said earlier this month that the spending target should be raised further, to 2.5 percent of GDP, to address the current global threat environment.
Thursday’s letter was led by Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who co-chair the US Senate NATO Observer Group. Other signers 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.
While senators praise Canada for taking a leadership 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 advance with the direct cooperation of your government”. “
Ottawa has pledged about $40 billion to modernize the continental defense organization between the United States and Canada, plus billions for the purchase of F-35 fighter jets and the construction of new warships. The defense policy update contained no new commitments for NORAD, but much of its planned new spending focuses on Arctic defense.
“Later this year, when the United States hosts the 2024 NATO Summit to set priorities for next year, we will hope that your government and all NATO members that have not met the spending threshold in two percent defense have a plan to reach this benchmark. as soon as possible,” the letter reads.
“We look forward to a strong partnership between the United States, Canada and all allies to meet the benchmarks the Alliance has identified to enable us to defend democracy, preserve security and expand opportunity.”
Global News has contacted the Prime Minister’s Office for comment on the letter.
Although the letter marks a rare direct appeal from a Canadian ally to a prime minister, U.S. lawmakers have taken aim at Canada’s defense spending shortfalls in the past.
Last year, Sullivan grilled NORAD commander U.S. Gen. Gregory Guillot during his confirmation hearing about Canada’s “incredibly disappointing” defense budget, saying that “Americans get frustrated when our allies don’t pull out all the stops.” .
During his meeting with Blair last week, Austin praised the update to Canada’s defense policy and said it would “help” Canada achieve the two per cent commitment to NATO.
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