Canada seeks U.S. help to boost military spending to NATO levels
- Bill Blair announced plans to enhance Canada's military spending efforts.
- He expressed the necessity for collaboration with U.S. defense industries and Congress.
- The Canadian government aims to meet NATO's defense spending goal of 2 percent of GDP.
Canada's Defence Minister Bill Blair emphasized the necessity of increasing military spending during a conference held on November 25, 2024, in Ottawa. He highlighted the aim of reaching NATO's spending target of 2 percent of GDP and expressed the need for cooperative efforts with the incoming U.S. administration. Blair pointed out the challenges in acquiring military equipment efficiently and acknowledged pressure from allied nations to meet the spending guidelines. Additionally, he noted discussions with U.S. Congress members stressing that Canada is open to advancing its defense commitments. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau supported this view, claiming that Canada is on track to achieve the set target due to evolving global security dynamics.