Meet NATO commitment

Try as he might, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau isn’t going to be able to shrug off the question of Canada’s commitment to NATO in terms of how much we spend on defence.

Three years ago, NATO members agreed to increase defence spending to two per cent of the gross domestic product within 10 years. But the next year, according to NATO reporting, Canada spent only about one per cent of the GDP on defence — the smallest amount since before the Second World War.

Canada is near the back of the pack, ranked 23rd of 28 NATO countries, stuck between Hungary and Slovenia.

The Donald Trump government says it wants countries to start paying their fair share or risk the U.S. “moderating” its commitment. And Trump isn’t the first U.S. commander-in-chief to be irked.

How much more must the government commit at a time when the economy is less than robust and deficits are already worrisome? A rise to two per cent would cost something like $20 billion a year, on top of the $19-billion defence budget. Unlikely given current finances. But holding the line isn’t an option either. Bottom line: The government needs to take some serious steps toward meeting the commitment it agreed to, or face the consequences of not doing so.

Hamilton Spectator