5 years ago in 2014, Canada, along with other NATO members, pledged to increase defence spending to the target of 2% of their gross domestic product (GDP) by 2024. The U.S. is the top spender on defence in NATO with its military budget worth 3.42% of its GDP. Out of 29 member countries Canada ranks 20th at 1.27%. Two years ago the federal government promised $62 billion in new money for our military over the next 20 years. However, that would only bring us to 1.4% of GDP by 2027, 3 years after we had committed to be at 2%. The Chinese are rattling their sabres in regards to militarizing the Arctic, the destabilizing situation continues in the Middle East, Putin seems intent on recreating the Soviet empire, and then there’s the unpredictable character in the White House with the nuclear codes at his fingertips. We’ve watched a succession of federal governments, Liberal and Conservative, pay lip service to our armed forces for decades while squandering billions on on-again-off-again procurement of fighter jets and helicopters for the Air Force and ships for the Navy. The U.S. recently sent Canada a blunt letter criticizing our lack of defence spending and, while I am certainly not a fan of their capital E erratic commander in chief, maybe it’s a good thing the Americans are sending us a wake-up call to beef up our military. It’s time for us to telephone or get out of the booth when it comes to our commitment to defence.

That’s Coffeetalk. I’m Vic Dubois.