Despite multiple criticisms from Canada’s allies in recent weeks, Federal Defense Minister Bill Blair refuses to set a deadline for Canada to increase its military spending to 2% — the GDP target recommended by the NATO.
During a press scrum at the annual defense industry trade show (CANSEC) in Ottawa, the minister reaffirmed that Canada is “committed” to achieving this target, but did not want to offer a horizon to achieve this.
“Our job is to come back with a plan on how to achieve this goal,” he said on the first day of the event which brings together more than 280 defense industry organizations.
His statement comes a day after concerns were raised by Canada’s ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman, who was participating in a panel in Montreal.
“The Americans are happy that we have doubled our defense spending. But it is not the 2% objective that was accepted at NATO. So, yes, we often raise the question. We applaud the upward trajectory, but it is not enough,” she noted.
Earlier this year, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith lamented that Canada was the only NATO member without a plan or timeline to achieve the alliance’s goal.
Last week, a group of 23 American senators also sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asking him to keep Canada’s commitments to NATO.
The heads of state and government of the military alliance agreed to spend 2% of their GDP on defense in 2014, following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea.
“Over the past two years, we have seen Vladimir Putin massively increase his war machine. And we in the West haven’t always done enough to keep up. We must do more,” Minister Blair conceded in his opening speech on Wednesday morning.
A report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer in 2022 warned that the NATO objective “remains out of reach in the medium term” for Canada.
The war in Gaza looms
The thousands of participants at the Defense show had to face hundreds of demonstrators blocking the surrounding streets and access to the convention center on Wednesday morning. The latter are calling on the federal government to cut ties with Israeli and Canadian arms companies.
Several demonstrators, covered in red paint and brandishing Palestinian flags, chanted at participants that they were “complicit” with “genocide” in Gaza when they arrived on site.
“Dozens of people were burned to death in Israeli attacks on a camp for displaced people in Rafah this week, a place Israel had designated as a ‘safe’ zone. And those who profit from this atrocity, who provided the weapons to massacre tens of thousands of Palestinians, are right here in CANSEC,” said Rachel Small of World BEYOND War, which is organizing the protest.
Minister Blair, for his part, indicated that the government has no longer exported arms to Israel since the start of the year.
“Canada has a rigorous armed export regime. Since January, no single arms export permit has been issued by Canada for Israeli weapons and Global Affairs has made it clear that no additional exports will be authorized while the conflict persists,” he said. told reporters.
A second demonstration is planned on Parliament Hill on Wednesday at noon to condemn the arms trade between Canada and Israel and demand an investigation into the arms trade.