OTTAWA — The federal Liberal government is promising more than $8 billion in new spending on Canada’s military over the next five years, though most won’t materialize for some time and exactly what that money will buy isn’t clear.
The new federal budget also promises a fresh review of the country’s military priorities and plans as Canada and its allies face growing threats from Russia and elsewhere.
Canada has been under pressure to follow other members of the NATO military alliance and spend more on its military in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with members urged to dedicate two per cent of their GDP to defence.
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While the injection of new military spending will be welcome, most of the money isn’t earmarked to be spent until later years and the budget doesn’t say what the majority will be spent on.
Nor does it say how the new funds will affect defence spending as a share of GDP, though a sxjmtzywenior Finance official, speaking at a media briefing held on condition of anonymity, said Canada will eventually hit the 1.5 per cent mark.
The official also said specific allocations for modernizing North America’s defences and bolstering Canada’s support to the NATO military alliance will be determined later, likely after the policy review.
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A crew readies the CH-124 Sea King helicopter before takeoff at 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron in Saanich, B.C., on Tuesday, November 27, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
