OTTAWA – On Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a multi-billion-dollar military spending package. This was a big change in policy, and he promised to reach NATO’s goal of spending 2% of GDP on defense this year. The statement, which was made at CFB Trenton, is part of a larger plan to upgrade Canada’s military and deal with what Carney called a worsening global security situation.
Carney has said many times since taking office in April that he is worried that Canada’s military doesn’t have enough money and isn’t ready for current threats. He said that the possibility of Russian aggression in the Arctic and the US’s position in global security becoming more uncertain were two of the main reasons for the extra investment. Carney added, “The world order that was built after World War II and changed after the Cold War is under pressure.” “We’ve taken our safety for granted for too long.”
The new expenditure plan has CAN$2 billion (1.5 billion) set out to raise soldiers’ salaries.This will include $209 billion in additional military investments scheduled for this year, which will also pay for the purchase of drones, battle vehicles, and other hardware. The government has said that these investments will help the Canadian military sector, create jobs, and encourage new ideas.
Carney’s announcement comes at a time when the US is putting more pressure on NATO partners. President Donald Trump is asking them to spend 5% of their GDP on defense. Carney said on Friday that Canada would not only reach the 2% objective this year, but also strive toward the new 5% target by 2035. Canada has traditionally struggled to fulfill the 2% benchmark. This long-term target, which Canada agreed to at a recent NATO summit, will be made up of 3.5% for core military capabilities and 1.5% for investments in key infrastructure and dual-use technologies that are tied to defense.
This change is a break from Canada’s past of spending less on the military, and it shows that the country’s defense strategy is going in a new direction. The government’s new plan involves updating military equipment, making other international relationships than the U.S., and putting money into a stronger Canadian defense sector.