US Ambassador to Canada David Cohen says Canada is becoming “an outlier” in NATO following a bipartisan letter from 23 US senators calling on Ottawa to meet 2 per cent defense spending target of GDP.
“By the end of 2024, Canada is projected to be the only NATO country that is not spending at least two percent of its GDP on defense and has no plan to get there,” Cohen said in an interview with The west block presenter Mercedes Stephenson.
“Canada has gone from being an atypical country within NATO to being one in the entire alliance.”
In Canada’s recent defense policy update, Defense Minister Bill Blair outlined plans to spend almost $8 billion for the Canadian Armed Forces over the next five years. However, this would only bring Canada’s defense spending to 1.76 per cent of GDP.
“We know that Canada needs to invest in other capabilities that are not yet included in this year’s budget but are inevitably part of the investments we are going to have to make,” Blair said Thursday after the letter was published.
“It’s important that those investments are done right, it’s important that we do the research to find out exactly what the requirements of our military are.”
On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau echoed the need to do more to ensure Canada’s Arctic, “NATO’s western and northern flank,” is protected. He called recent announcements about fighter jets and NORAD modernization “well received” by Americans.
Blair aimed to explore new purchases such as submarines and air defense systems, both strategic priorities linked to improving continental defense as the polar ice melts and Canada’s northern coast faces pressure from Russian and Chinese vessels.
Blair says that once research is completed into what is available on the market and the associated costs, he will present the spending plans to cabinet for approval.
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Meanwhile, Cohen says the United States is taking a more holistic look at Canada’s defense commitments beyond the NATO goal, but feels there is still more to be done.
“We look at their responsiveness, particularly in continental defense, in the Arctic and in NORAD modernization. We look at what they are doing in Ukraine. We look at what they have done in their enhanced presence in Lithuania. We look at what they are doing in the Indo-Pacific,” Cohen said.
“That does not mean Canada is off the hook after the defense policy update. And I don’t think Canada believes it should be let off the hook.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has more recently expressed interest in greater participation in the Indo-Pacific security partnership between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, known as AUKUS, something he dismissed when it was first announced.
This alliance was formed in 2021 to counter growing Chinese influence in the region.
At the time, Trudeau described AUKUS as “a nuclear submarine deal, for which Canada is not currently or in the future in the market.”
Last month that alliance indicated that it is open to admitting more partner countries. Currently, Canada is not eligible for the first pillar of this work, as it revolves around nuclear submarines, a military asset that Canada does not have.
However, Cohen says there could be a place for Canada in the second pillar that focuses on sharing military technology.
“Canada argues, and I think they are right to argue, that they have expertise in technology: developing technology, engineers (and) scientists who are doing work that would be an asset to the AUKUS partnership as part of pillar two.” Cohen said.
Now that the United States is taking a broader look at Canada’s defense commitments that Cohen mentioned earlier, he says Canada’s return to being seen as a reliable international partner is in progress.
“All of that makes Canada a more credible international partner in all of these defense spaces, including AUKUS,” Cohen said.
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