Canada is under pressure to meet its NATO defence spending target by the end of the fiscal year 乌鸦传媒� and doing so could help reshape the country乌鸦传媒檚 economy, military, and role on the world stage.
According to Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State (Defence Procurement) and MP for Kelowna, the federal government is 乌鸦传媒済oing to get it done.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淢y immediate concern is getting us to two per cent (of GDP) by the end of the fiscal year,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 a big responsibility I have on my plate. We乌鸦传媒檝e mapped it all out, and we know what to do.乌鸦传媒�
On June 9, the federal government announced that . The investment for 2025-26 will be over $9 billion.
Fuhr recently returned from a high-level delegation trip to Brussels with the Prime Minister and the Ministers of National Defence and Foreign Affairs. During the visit, Canada signed a new defence and security agreement with the European Union and took part in NATO meetings.
Fuhr said spent on defence by 2035.
He explained that the goal includes two parts: 3.5 per cent in traditional military spending, and 1.5 per cent in areas like infrastructure and economic development related to defence 乌鸦传媒� areas that Canada plans to leverage.
乌鸦传媒淧art of that defence and security agreement had a portion of it where Canada and the EU would work together on stockpiling critical minerals, and we have an abundance of that. The problem is we just don乌鸦传媒檛 have access to it. So if the Canadian government builds out that access, that乌鸦传媒檒l employ Canadians, and it will more than likely create revenue for the Government of Canada.乌鸦传媒�
The spending on critical minerals and energy infrastructure would count toward Canada乌鸦传媒檚 defence contribution.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e building out the Canadian economy in a way in which it hadn乌鸦传媒檛 been built out before,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淭he rest of it (3.5 per cent), we乌鸦传媒檒l look in 2029 to see if the capabilities NATO is asking us for are being met with the spend, and we乌鸦传媒檒l evaluate it then.乌鸦传媒�
Fuhr noted government has already made significant investment.
乌鸦传媒淭he previous Liberal government had doubled defence spending since 2015,乌鸦传媒� he pointed out. 乌鸦传媒淲hen (Stephen) Harper went out, the defence spending was below one per cent GDP. I think right now it乌鸦传媒檚 around 1.45 percent.乌鸦传媒�
Canada, he said, is being recognized as a reliable partner 乌鸦传媒� and potentially a leader.
乌鸦传媒淚 would look at it as a re-emerging middle power. The United States seems to want to pull back, and I think it乌鸦传媒檚 creating a bit of a vacuum 乌鸦传媒� and other middle powers are looking for leadership. And I think Canada can fill that space.乌鸦传媒�
Fuhr also touched on Canada乌鸦传媒檚 evolving relationship with the U.S.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e always going to have a relationship with the United States乌鸦传媒攂ut it乌鸦传媒檚 going to be a different relationship. I think the PM was pretty clear about that. We乌鸦传媒檒l work with the U.S. where we can and we乌鸦传媒檒l go our own way where we have to. And we have lots of friends.乌鸦传媒�
That, he said, is backed by the optimism and goodwill he experienced in Europe.
乌鸦传媒淚 can乌鸦传媒檛 express how positive it was to come out of that with just such overwhelming sentiment towards Canada from our European friends. We were treated well and respected. Everybody there was really looking forward to working with Canada.乌鸦传媒�
Fuhr, a retired Air Force officer, acknowledged that one of the biggest obstacles to military readiness is personnel.
乌鸦传媒淲e need to get our numbers up乌鸦传媒攖hat乌鸦传媒檚 a big part of moving forward,乌鸦传媒� he noted. 乌鸦传媒淲e need about, I think it乌鸦传媒檚13,000 more folks to bolster our numbers up to where we want to be.乌鸦传媒�
Despite the shortfall, he said Canada continues to be a highly respected military partner.
乌鸦传媒淐anada is still very, very respected. We bring good capability to the relationships that we have. If there乌鸦传媒檚 a coalition of people out there, the team wants Canada to be there. That hasn乌鸦传媒檛 changed.乌鸦传媒�
Fuhr sees Canada at a crossroads.
乌鸦传媒淚 think it乌鸦传媒檚 at a point now, and Canada has an opportunity, where we can start to fill a leadership role in the world where the States have just decided they want to step back. So I think that乌鸦传媒檚 very positive for us.乌鸦传媒�