U.S. senators write to Trudeau asking him to meet 2% GDP defence spending commitment
A bipartisan group of 23 U.S. senators have written to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging his country to live up to its commitment to spend 2 per cent of GDP on defence amid concerns that key members of the NATO alliance are not pulling their weight.
“As we approach the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., we are concerned and profoundly disappointed that Canada’s most recent projection indicated that it will not reach its two percent commitment this decade,†the senators wrote. “In 2029, Canada’s defence spending is estimated to rise to just 1.7 percent, five years after the agreed upon deadline of 2024 and still below the spending baseline.â€
The rare letter from lawmakers comes about two months before NATO’s next annual summit in Washington, DC, which will mark the alliance’s 75th anniversary as Russia’s war against Ukraine continues.
At last year’s leader-level summit, the allies agreed that each member nation should spend at least 2 per cent of its GDP on defence. The senators pointed to that agreement in making their case for Canada to live up to the commitment.
And the senators — including Republicans Mitt Romney of Utah and Ted Cruz of Texas as well as Democrats Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, among others — argued that if Canada falls short of its commitment, it will hurt NATO.
“Canada will fail to meet its obligations to the Alliance, to the detriment of all NATO Allies and the free world, without immediate and meaningful action to increase defence spending,†the senators wrote.
Canada is a founding member of the defensive alliance, which now has 32 member nations. The senators noted the contributions Canada has made to NATO on multiple fronts, including taking a leading role in support of its military operations and developing standards around democracy, economic resilience and human rights.
But the senators also pointed out that many other nations are taking the necessary steps to hit and exceed the 2 per cent target.
“By the end of 2024, 18 NATO countries will meet the Alliance’s goal to ensure NATO’s continued military readiness. This is a historic investment in our collective security, led by NATO Allies like Poland, a country that has already exceeded three percent of its GDP for defence spending,†they wrote.
Earlier this year, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that he expects Canada to “deliver on the pledge†or else details plans for reaching the target spending.
More than a dozen other NATO members — including Spain, Turkey and the Netherlands —have also so far fallen short of the alliance’s target.
But the senators chose to write to Trudeau because they believe Canada — unlike other nations — does not appear to have a plan in place to hit the target, a congressional aide explained.
While the letter does not mention former President Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee has had a real impact on the ongoing efforts to get alliance members to spend more. During his presidency Trump repeatedly pressed members to contribute more to the alliance, and to spend more on defence spending overall.
Europeans are also concerned about what Trump might do in a possible second term when it comes to NATO.
If he wins the election in November, Trump will consider pushing for a two-tier NATO, CNN has previously reported. That would mean countries that don’t meet the 2 per cent of GDP spending commitment would not be protected by NATO’s Article 5, which guarantees that the resources of the whole alliance can be used to protect any single member nation if it’s attacked.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What Justin Trudeau told Stephen Colbert in the PM's late-night TV debut
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said many Canadians are taking their cost-of-living frustrations 'out on me for understandable reasons,' during his U.S. late-night television debut on 'The Late Show' with Stephen Colbert Monday night.
Israel and Hezbollah renew fire after the deadliest day in Lebanon since 2006
Israel and Hezbollah traded fire again on Tuesday -- including a new Israeli airstrike on Beirut -- as the death toll from a massive Israeli bombardment climbed to nearly 560 people and thousands fled from southern Lebanon with the two sides on the brink of all-out war.
Is COVID XEC worse than other variants? Expert shares what's known about the virus in Canada
While many Canadians no longer stress as much about COVID-19 as they did during its peak, health experts say a new variant has been spreading in some parts of the world and is now present in Canada.
Several detained in Switzerland in connection with suspected death in a 'suicide capsule'
Police in northern Switzerland said Tuesday that several people have been detained and a criminal case opened in connection with the suspected death of a person in a new 'suicide capsule.'
The calls are growing louder for city council to tighten the rules governing short-term accommodations, including those advertised on websites like Airbnb and Vrbo, after students arrived by the busload at a rented house in the Masonville neighbourhood.
Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton are apparently distant relatives
Genealogy and family tree tracking site Ancestry announced on Monday that by using “billions of historical records and public family trees,†they’ve discovered that the two music powerhouses are actually seventh cousins, once removed.
B.C.’s Civil Resolution Tribunal has ordered WestJet to refund a family in full for their diverted flight and compensate them for associated costs.
Coca-Cola is pulling its newest 'permanent' flavour from store shelves
Coca-Cola is discontinuing the production of its new Spiced flavour just six months after the soda hit shelves, marking the end of a disappointing attempt to attract younger drinkers.
A man accused of driving his truck into a march for B.C. residential school survivors two years ago has been found guilty of dangerous driving.
Local Spotlight
Giant gourds took over a Manitoba community this weekend.
Fire has destroyed a barn and 17,000 plants at a family-owned business in Lower Coverdale, N.B.
Before influencers on social media, Canada’s Jeanne Beker was bringing the world of high fashion down to earth and as Calgary’s Glenbow Museum gets a major make-over, it will include a new exhibition showcasing the pop culture icon.
A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.
A Nova Scotian YouTuber has launched a mini-truck bookmobile.
Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.
Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.
An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.
They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.