Prime Minister Mark Carney has declared an unprecedented push to boost Canadian defence spending, committing to hit NATO’s 2% of GDP target by the end of this fiscal year, significantly ahead of schedule. Speaking at the University of Toronto, Carney stressed that Canada must build its own defence capabilities and lessen its reliance on the United States due to an increasingly “dangerous and divided world.” This marks a major shift in Canada’s historically conservative approach to defence investment.
A central tenet of Carney’s plan is a multi-billion dollar infusion into Canadian defence manufacturing, aiming to foster a robust domestic industry. This move is intended to modernize Canada’s aging military assets, including a largely non-operational submarine fleet and other vehicles, and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. The Prime Minister also pointed to the evolving relationship with the US, shaped by protectionist tariffs and a reevaluation of America’s defence contributions, as a catalyst for this change.
These impactful announcements come as Canada prepares to host the G7 summit and as NATO gears up for its own summit, where defence budgets will be a primary discussion point. Carney’s vision for “made-in-Canada manufacturing” and a dramatic reduction in defence capital outflow to the US signals a new era of strategic autonomy and a more assertive role for Canada in global security.