According to the leaked document, the U.S. complained that “widespread defense shortages hamper Canada’s capabilities and put a strain on partnerships and alliance contributions.”
According to leaked Pentagon documents obtained by The Washington Post, during a closed-door meeting with NATO officials, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admitted the country would “never” meet the military alliance’s spending targets.
Although NATO requires member countries to spend at least 2 per cent of GDP on defence, Trudeau said Canada cannot meet that goal, as Ottawa’s military budget has not exceeded 1.4 per cent of GDP in nearly 30 years.
According to the leaked document, the U.S. complained about its northern neighbor, arguing that “widespread defense shortages hamper Canada’s capabilities and put a strain on partnerships and the alliance’s contribution” within the NATO framework.
In addition, politically motivated procurement decisions have left parts of the Canadian military ill-equipped, with most of the country’s 89 Leopard 2 tanks “requiring regular maintenance.”
In a unit of 40 tanks only 9 are operational, while the army currently has only half of the necessary pilots ready for combat. Thus, according to the leaked document, those “persistent” shortcomings led the Canadian military to conclude earlier this year that it was “unable to conduct a major operation while simultaneously maintaining leadership of the NATO strike group (in Latvia) and providing aid to Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, Canadian Defence Ministry spokesman Daniel Minden said the country continues to “make landmark investments to equip our armed forces,” citing the purchase of 88 F-35 fighter jets worth $19 billion earlier this year.
However, Minden added that while the current Ottawa government policy calls for a 70 per cent increase in defence spending by 2026, Canada will still not meet NATO’s 2 per cent of GDP requirement.
(Editor: Michael / Proofreader: Carol)
