Canada’s military commitment isn’t just measured in GDP, US ambassador says

David Cohen declined to comment for an article The Washington Post Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told officials privatelyNATO Canada will never meet its spending target of 2% GDPimposed on members of the Atlantic Alliance.

But the U.S. ambassador has a lot to say about whether Canada deserves its old reputation as a money-grubber when it comes to military spending.

I think it’s a big mistake that a lot of people make, in my view, to somehow measure Canada’s commitment by one indicator.Mr. Cohen said. I don’t think that’s fair.

Cohen was the keynote speaker Friday at the annual conference of past and present U.S. ambassadors, trade lawyers and academics from both countries. Canadian-American Law Institute In Cleveland.

Canada makes its own decisions about priorities and budget envelopes, he said. In 2014, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) voluntarily agreed, along with other allies, to meet the 2% target originally set in 2006.

But Mr. Cohen suggested. Whenever the need arose, Canada stepped inhe said.

Former minister Mackay still believes

Mr. Cohen’s defense contrasted with the assessment of one of his predecessors, David Jacobsen, who had criticized Mr.

Former Conservative minister Peter Mackay served as Defense Minister in 2007 and 2013.

Photo: Canadian Press

From 2009 to 2013, he served as Barack Obama’s Ambassador to Ottawa. The Washington Post This could make it difficult for Canada and the United States to resolve bilateral irritations in the future.

Peter Mackay, who served as Canada’s Minister of National Security for six years under Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, Mr. Trudeau points out that he is not denying the content of the article. Mail.

It is noteworthy that the Prime Minister did not take this opportunity to clarify, contextualize or imply that it was not true. And so this whole thing escalatesMr. Mackay said in Cleveland.

Let’s listen to someone in government, and I still have some hope that we will, in fact, reach us [objectif] 2%, or we will continue to like it.

The article Mail It’s based on a classified Pentagon Papers document that was leaked in recent weeks on an online discussion forum for video game enthusiasts.

The Mail The unsigned and undated document, which The Canadian Press has not seen, mentions military shortcomings widely Canada has friction with its allies and partners.

Pay these parasites

At the same timeNATO While it has long urged many of its members to meet its 2% target, military spending in the US is about 3.3% GDP That’s 13 times more than Canada. By comparison, the Canadian government currently spends about 1.4% GDP For safety.

What’s going to happen is, the American people are going to think, “Why should we protect the world?”Maintained by former Ambassador Jacobson. At some point, people are going to say, “Well, we’ve got all these parasites” — and I hate to use that word — “and we’re not going to do that anymore.”

This turn of phrase is reminiscent of Donald Trump, who has often admonished allies.NATO Who is running again for the US presidency next year – for compromising the alliance.

The article Mail Trudeau did not elaborate on his comments, but he noted complaints from many allies about deficiencies in the Canadian military.

i’NATOFor example, there will be with interest Due to the fact that Canada has not reinforced the ranks of its battle group in Latvia, which is part of a multinational deterrence mission in Eastern Europe.

Also, there would have been Turkey disappointment talk Refusal Canada’s apparent assistance in transporting aid to Haiti after the massive earthquake earlier this year Frustrated Because of Canada’s reluctance to undertake security work there, he wrote Mail This week.

Latvia and Haiti

But Ambassador Cohen believes path Canada’s military spending has steadily improved over the past few years.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (left) and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (file photo)

Photo: Getty Images/AFP/Denis Charlotte

The Liberal government has pledged nearly $40 billion to modernize NORAD and North American defenses, and announced $8 billion in military spending in the 2022 budget.

In Joe Biden’s worldview, no nation should be judged or judged solely by what it does in the field of defense.Mr. Cohen said. Question: What kind of partner are you? We believe that Canada and the United States are inextricably linked.

As for Latvia, Defense Minister Anita Anand indicated that Canada has launched an urgent call for tenders to equip its forces with anti-tank, anti-drone and anti-aircraft defense systems.

The Mail He also writes that the Canadian military warned in February that a major military operation is currently unlikely because Canada is stationed in Latvia and continues to provide military support to Ukraine in its war against Russia.

The United States is also eager to find someone to lead an international support mission in Haiti, a country ravaged by criminal gangs, and officials have named Canada as a possible option.

But former ambassador Jacobson believes the question of Canada’s role in Haiti is less a bipartisan disagreement than a serious question of Canadian military capability. Spending your 1.4% means you have less tanks, soldiers and ammo GDP.