Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday that Canada’s purchase of 12 submarines will bring the country to a target of military spending equivalent to 2% of its gross domestic product (GDP) in eight years, in 2032.
He made the announcement on the sidelines of a press briefing in Washington, USA, where the summit of NATO member countries was taking place.
His Defence Minister, Bill Blair, had escaped during a conference on Monday, by suggesting that the purchase of new equipment announced shortly would “inevitably” make Canada reach its spending target.
In a recent report, Canada’s Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) instead indicated that he does not believe the armed forces are capable of spending their entire budget on acquiring new weapons.
The cost of the new fleet of submarines has not been disclosed. They will be conventionally powered vessels, intended to be deployed on Canada’s three coasts: Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic.
Justin Trudeau on Thursday defended the significant increase in Canada’s military budget, which he estimates at $175 billion over two decades.
“This is not just something Canadians expect, or our allies expect. This is something the world needs. The world is a more dangerous, unstable place, with new geopolitical realities, with new conflicts emerging in unexpected places.”
More details will follow.
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