Canada takes drastic decision to deter Russian and Chinese threat

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a significant increase in the country's defense budget, reaching levels not seen in decades.

Speaking at the University of Toronto on Monday, Carney stated that Canada will hit the NATO target of 2% of GDP in defense spending this year — a major shift for a country traditionally reluctant to raise military expenditures.

A recent NATO report revealed that Canada spent approximately 1.45% of its GDP on defense last year.

Carney also emphasized that billions of dollars will be invested in Canadian defense companies in a move to reduce reliance on U.S. military industries.

“The long-held view that Canada’s geographic location will protect us is becoming increasingly archaic. Threats which felt far away and remote are now immediate and acute,” Carney said.

He added that the threats do not come from Russia alone, but also from China, underscoring the need for strategic independence and readiness.

NATO member states will have the opportunity to address defense spending during the upcoming military alliance summit to be held this month in The Hague, Netherlands. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has already expressed his desire for a 3.5% increase in defense-related spending and an additional 1.5% increase for infrastructure and defense investment.

(QG - Source: The Guardian - Picture : © Unsplash)