Canada's plan to beat NATO's defense spending goal remains unclear and the current forecast for increased military spending is based on “flawed” economic projections, according to the federal watchdog.
The report from the parliamentary budget officer (PBO), Yves Giroux, on Wednesday comes one week before the US election, the result of which could affect security in Canada.
Republican candidate Donald Trump, who often complains that other NATO members do not spend 2 percent of their GDP on defense, warned that the United States may not protect allies who do not meet this target.
He also said he would “encourage” Russia to attack the so-called “rogue” NATO countries.
The military alliance is based on the principle of collective defense – that an attack on one member is an attack on all and will result in a collective response.
At this year's NATO summit in Washington, DC, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised that Canada would meet the alliance's goal of two percent of gross domestic product for defense by 2032, but did not provide details on how that target would be met.
Get the latest country news
For news that affects Canada and the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you as they happen.
“The government has yet to release figures showing how it plans to meet the 2% target by 2032-33,” the PBO said in a news release.
Canada's revised defense policy also predicts that spending will increase from 1.37 percent of GDP currently to 1.76 percent by 2030.
The PBO said the 1.76 percent figure was “based on a flawed GDP forecast” and according to the watchdog's own analysis, defense spending is only up to 1.58% of GDP by 2029-30.
NATO members agreed to a two percent target in 2014 but Canada has long missed it.
In order for Canada to meet its promise, the country will have to increase annual military spending to $81.9 billion by the 2032-33 fiscal year, the PBO said.
This means that defense spending will have to nearly double the $41 billion target for 2024-25.
Canada's defense budget has grown by more than 57 percent since 2014, and is estimated at $29.9 billion this year.
In pure dollar terms, Canada ranks seventh among NATO allies, according to the alliance. But for the share of GDP spent on defence, Canada ranks fifth last out of 31 member states.
When he promised Canada's timeline to meet NATO's goal, Trudeau said in July: “We continue to rise and punch above our weight, something that is not always reflected in the mysterious statistics that some people turn to very quickly, that's why we 'I always ask the two percent that 'be all and finish all.'
A leaked Pentagon report obtained by the Washington Post last year said Trudeau told NATO officials Canada would never meet the alliance's goal.
More to come…
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
