Canada may benefit from NATO alliance cost change

OTTAWA — The head of the NATO military alliance says it is unfair that members like Canada must bear all the costs when they deploy troops on allied missions, which is why he is proposing the organization pay for such efforts.

Yet NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg says he also expects all members, including Canada, to make good on their commitments to increase defence spending to address growing instability throughout the world.

Stoltenberg made the comments this morning ahead of a meeting of NATO defence ministers, where his plan to pay countries that send troops abroad will be one of several topics up for debate

Canada stands to benefit from such a move as it has hundreds of troops deployed on NATO missions in Latvia and Iraq, which is in addition to the regular deployment of a frigate and fighter jets to different alliance operations.

Stoltenberg says having all members cover the cost of deployments will strengthen the bonds among the alliance’s 28 member states and recognize that some countries regularly contribute troops to missions.

Yet Stoltenberg also says that it is more important than ever for alliance members to make good on their commitment to spend two per cent of their GDP on defence, which Canada has so far refused to do.