Canada’s Trudeau Called Out for Failing to Meet NATO Commitment

A bipartisan group of 23 senators in the United States has written to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pressing his country to meet its promise to spend 2% of GDP on defense, amid fears that major NATO allies are not doing their part.

“As we approach the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., we are concerned and profoundly disappointed that Canada’s most recent projection indicated that it will not reach its two percent commitment this decade,” the senators stated in their letter. “In 2029, Canada’s defense spending is estimated to rise to just 1.7 percent, five years after the agreed upon deadline of 2024 and still below the spending baseline.”

The unusual letter from lawmakers to a head of state comes just two months before NATO’s next annual meeting in Washington, DC, which will commemorate the alliance’s 75th anniversary as Russia’s war against Ukraine continues.

At last year’s leader-level conference, the allies decided that each member countries should devote at least 2% of its GDP to defense. The senators used the agreement to argue that Canada should follow through on its commitment.

US Senator Ted Cruz of Texas calls out Trudeau: Reuters Image

NATO will suffer

And senators, including Republicans Mitt Romney of Utah and Ted Cruz of Texas, as well as Democrats Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, cautioned that if Canada fails to meet its commitments, NATO will suffer.

“Canada will fail to meet its obligations to the Alliance, to the detriment of all NATO Allies and the free world, without immediate and meaningful action to increase defense spending,” the senators stated in their letter, CNN reports.

Canada is a founder member of the defense alliance, which currently has 32 members. The senators praised Canada’s efforts to NATO on a variety of fronts, including taking the lead in supporting its military operations and creating standards for democracy, economic resilience and human rights.

However, the senators also noted that many other countries are taking the required efforts to meet and exceed the 2% target.

“By the end of 2024, 18 NATO members will have achieved the Alliance’s goal of ensuring NATO’s ongoing military readiness. This is a historic investment in our collective security, spearheaded by NATO allies such as Poland, which has already spent more than three percent of its GDP on defense,” they said.

Canada has long been painted as a NATO nation not carrying its weight under Trudeau: Reuters Image

Trudeau has no plan to meet targets

On Thursday, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair reacted to the letter, saying that “Canada is on a very strong upward trajectory in defense spending,” adding that “we know we’ve got work to do.”

Blair did not provide a particular date for when the UK aims to meet its 2% objective. “Our job has begun, but there is a lot more to do. “It’s critical that we spend hard-earned Canadian taxpayer dollars wisely,” he stated.

Earlier this year, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that he expects Canada to “deliver on the pledge” or clarify preparations to meet the target budget. More than a dozen other NATO countries, including Canada have yet to meet the alliance’s aim.

The senators chose to write to Trudeau because, unlike other countries, Canada does not appear to have a plan in place to meet the target, according to a congressional aide. Under Trudeau’s leadership, Canada has long been portrayed as a country that isn’t doing its fair share to support NATO.

With the 75th anniversary of the 32-member alliance approaching, there appears to be renewed pressure on Canada to step up and join the 18 countries on track to fulfill the spending target by the end of the year.