National

NATO estimate of Canadian defence spending dips

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 31 Mar, 2022 12:00 PM

OTTAWA - New NATO figures suggest Canada is even farther from meeting the military alliance's spending target than previously believed.

NATO estimated last June that Canada would spend about 1.39 per cent of its national GDP on defence in 2021.

But in a report released today the alliance has lowered that figure, estimating Canada spent only about 1.36 per cent of GDP on its military last year.

While the difference appears miniscule, it nonetheless moves Canada farther from the two per cent spending target that all NATO members agreed to in 2014 and reaffirmed during a special meeting last week.

Defence Minister Anita Anand says this morning that the government has committed to increase defence spending, noting a federal budget will be presented next week.

The Royal Canadian Air Force is currently in action alongside its NATO allies during Ex FRISIAN FLAG 🇳🇱 in the Netherlands where they train together at command, crew, maintainer and support team levels. pic.twitter.com/5KfRNCtmJn
— Royal Canadian Air Force (@RCAF_ARC) March 31, 2022

It also comes as most allies are moving in the other direction, with only four of the 29 other NATO members set to spend less of their GDP on defence than Canada.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Group of LTC operators to mandate COVID vaccines

The group says employees who aren’t fully vaccinated as of Oct. 12 will be placed on unpaid leave of absence. Vaccination will also be required for new hires, students and other personnel working with the companies.

Group of LTC operators to mandate COVID vaccines

Afghanistan, pandemic cast a shadow over campaign

Party leaders hit the road last week just as the fourth wave began to surge and Kabul fell to the Taliban, prompting a desperate push to ramp up evacuation efforts for Canadian expats and former Afghan support staff at the capital's airport. That effort ended early Thursday morning.

Afghanistan, pandemic cast a shadow over campaign

Number of wildfires in B.C. falls below 250

The BC Wildfire Service says some of the major blazes — such as White Rock Lake, Tremont Creek and Lytton Creek — were still classified as out of control.

Number of wildfires in B.C. falls below 250

Party leaders talk affordability in B.C., Ontario

That is particularly the case for a housing market made ever hotter by the pandemic that drove more Canadians to want bigger homes and bigger yards. For younger Canadians, and those with lower incomes the pre-pandemic pipe dream of home ownership was pushed even further out of reach.

Party leaders talk affordability in B.C., Ontario

698 COVID19 cases for Wednesday

There are 5,356 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 154,669 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 139 individuals are in hospital and 75 are in intensive care.

698 COVID19 cases for Wednesday

One presumed dead in B.C. construction collapse

Fire and rescue personnel determined that one person had sustained "catastrophic" injuries, but it was still too dangerous to remove debris within the construction site in order to recover the body, Sgt. Peter DeVries said in an interview.