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At a time when there are so many armed conflicts around the globe, you’d think the upcoming federal budget would be geared to national defence.
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Indications are that when the feds table their budget on April 16, far from beefing up military spending, they’ll actually cut it. Government spending estimates tabled in February show reductions in defence spending of $810 million in 2024-2025; $851 million in 2025-26 and $907 million in 2026-27.
These are unsettling numbers, given that our military is already feeling the pinch and our NATO allies are eyeing us warily.
In a recent CBC news story, reporter Murray Brewster detailed shocking Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) deficiencies described in a report released in December.
He quotes an internal Department of National Defence (DND) document saying only 58% of the CAF would be able to respond if called upon in a crisis by NATO allies. Almost half of the military’s equipment is considered “Unavailable and unserviceable.”
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The report says 45% of CAF military equipment set aside for the defence of Europe faces, “challenges” and is considered “unavailable and unserviceable.”
It concluded: “In an increasingly dangerous world, where demand for the CAF is increasing, our readiness is decreasing.”
The internal DND memo says the airforce has 55% of fighters, maritime aviation, search and rescue, tactical aviation, trainers and transport considered, “unserviceable.”
As for the navy, 54% of its frigates, submarines, Arctic patrol ships and defence vessels are in no state to deploy. The army has 46% of its equipment considered “unserviceable.”
In a Feb. 25 interview with CBC, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, David Cohen, acknowledged Canada’s recent spending on arms to Ukraine, but had this warning:
“By the same token, I’ve been quite clear – and the United States has been quite clear – that NATO and the world is watching what Canada is doing with respect to its commitment,” he said.
What he meant by that is we’re falling far below the 2% of GDP funding requirement for NATO. Canada’s spending sits at around 1.3%.
The feds will spend $30 billion on the military in 2024-25.
Any way you cut it – and it seems inevitable Trudeau will cut defence spending – Canada needs to step up and take its place at the grown-up table at NATO.
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