In early April, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke softly and carried a big stick at a NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting in Brussels. A more mainstream, small-l liberal Republican in an overwhelmingly “MAGA” administration, Rubio was probably the most suitable Trump cabinet pick to dispatch to Europe to smooth over relations with the representatives of Read More…
For decades, NATO has maintained a clear benchmark for defence spending: 2% of a nation’s GDP. This figure signifies a commitment to collective security. However, as of 2024, Canada spends only about 1.4% of its GDP on defence. With increasing pressure from NATO allies and a shifting global security landscape, Canada faces the pressing question: Can Read More…
On April 8th, 2024, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a new federal investment plan in defence spending for the 2024 federal budget. The “Our North: Strong and Free” defence policy update proposed to raise Canada’s defence spending-to-GDP ratio to 1.76% by 2029-30, amounting to $8.1 billion over five years, and $73 billion over 20 years, in new Read More…
In late August, 2022, Canada hosted NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on a two-day visit to Alberta and Nunavut. He toured the Canadian High Arctic Research Station, the North Warning System Site, and met with First Nations leaders and CAF personnel. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accompanied him on his visit and spoke about Canada’s commitment to NATO and Read More…
There is an ongoing debate whether there is a linkage between the importance of transatlantic values and the level of effective commitment that might contribute to the enduring success of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). In my strongest opinion, there is a precondition to how our alliance can achieve success in the future. And Read More…
Is the ‘2 percent’ rule an effective way to measure a member State’s commitment to NATO? Eric Jackson explores how political manipulation in current defence spending misrepresents a nation’s military readiness and suggests a broader definition for security expenditures.
Upon Erin O’Toole’s election to lead Canada’s Conservatives, Arjun Singh examines the party’s foreign policy platform.
On Wednesday, June 7th, NAOC Director Jeff Hull was on CP24 to talk about the implications of Canada’s new Defence Policy for NATO.
Senior Research Fellow Eric Morse weighs in on today’s NATO meeting.
Rejeanne Lacroix examines how NATO is perceived in the international community and how greater payments and commitments must be made toward the Alliance. Lacroix specifically examins the 2% GDP spending and its implications.