After facing months of pressure, senior government sources tell CTV News that Canada will unveil its plan on Thursday on how to reach its NATO commitment to spend two per cent of its GDP on defence.
Canada is currently the only member of the alliance without a timeline to reach that target. According to NATO’s latest figures, Canada is on track to reach 1.37 per cent of GDP this year. Twenty-three of 32 NATO member countries are on track to meet or exceed the two per cent pledge in 2024.
Defence Minister Bill Blair is in Washington with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the NATO summit, which is marking the 75th anniversary of the alliance.
On Monday, Blair spoke at the Foreign Policy Security Forum and signalled more details were to come on Canada’s defence spending.
“Over the course of the next few days, I will be able to share that credible, verifiable plan with our allies to provide them with assurances that Canada understands its responsibility and we’re going to live up to our responsibilities,” Blair said.
Speaking on a panel at the NATO Public Forum on Wednesday afternoon, Blair reiterated that Canada will meet the pledge, and perhaps more.
“We’ll meet the 2 per cent pledge and I think we even need to go beyond that 2 per cent pledge.” Blair said that Canada has to invest well and hinted at a path forward to reaching its defence spending targets through partnership with other NATO members. Blair told the audience that Canada had entered into an agreement with Norway and Germany to “work together on issues around production.”
“We are going to create real value by working together,” Blair said.
In April, the federal government released its long-awaited defence policy that pledged Canada would see military spending rise to 1.76 per cent of GDP by 2030, but no target to hit two per cent. The policy also unveiled a new overall investment of $8.1 billion over five years and $73 billion over 20 years.
Criticism from NATO, alliance members
Leading up to the summit, Canada has faced increasing pressure from NATO and its members to reach the two per cent target.
In 2014, NATO members pledged to commit at least two per cent of GDP to defence spending. But since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has referred to that target as a floor and not a ceiling.
In an exclusive broadcast interview with CTV Question Period host Vassy Kapelos in June, Stoltenberg said he expects more from Canada when it comes to defence spending.
“We live in a more dangerous world, and therefore we need to invest more in our defence and our security,” he said. “I welcome the increase you have seen in Canada over the last years, but I expect more.”
This week, Canada has also faced new criticism from prominent U.S. politicians.
On Monday, at a security forum on the margins of the summit, U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson accused Canada of “riding on America’s coattails.”
“They have the safety and security of being on our border and not having to worry about that. I think that’s shameful. I think if you’re going to be a member nation and participant, you need to do your part,” Johnson said.
Meanwhile, Republican Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell in a post on X acknowledged shared values and economic ties between Canada and the U.S., but said “it’s time for our northern ally to invest seriously in the hard power required to help preserve prosperity and security across @NATO.”
Back in May, a group of 23 bipartisan U.S. senators also issued a rare open letter to Trudeau, imploring him to make good on his commitment.
In the letter, the senators wrote, “As we approach the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., we are concerned and profoundly disappointed that Canada’s most recent projection indicated that it will not reach its two percent commitment this decade.”
Canada to purchase new submarines
On Wednesday, the federal government announced it is launching a process to purchase 12 new submarines to replace its aging fleet.
Senior government sources say the purchase will be part of Canada’s commitment to reach two per cent of GDP on defence, but there is no estimated cost or target date for the new fleet.
The Department of National Defence is in the process of meeting with manufacturers and potential partners.
“This new fleet will enable Canada to protect its sovereignty in a changing world, and make valuable, high-end contributions to the security of our partners and NATO Allies,” Blair said in a statement. “We look forward to delivering this new fleet to the Royal Canadian Navy.”
The Canadian navy currently only has four submarines that were purchased second-hand from the British government in 1998, and delivered between 2000 to 2004.
With files from CTV News Parliamentary Bureau’s Spencer Van Dyk
HOUSTON (AP) — Brian White scored in the second half to rally the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday night.
Houston (12-9-8) took a 1-0 lead into halftime after Ezequiel Ponce scored on a penalty kick in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Ponce’s third goal this season came after Amine Bassi drew a foul on Whitecaps midfielder Pedro Vite following a video review. It was Ponce’s sixth career appearance, all starts.
Vancouver (13-8-7) scored the equalizer in the 73rd minute when White, who entered in the 60th, used assists from Fafá Picault and Ryan Gauld to find the net for the 13th time this season. Picault’s assist was his fifth, matching his career high for a single season. Gauld’s assist gives him a career-best 13 on the season.
Yohei Takaoka, who had clean sheets in his last three starts, finished with one save in goal for the Whitecaps.
Steve Clark saved three shots for the Dynamo, who remain one point behind Vancouver in the Western Conference standings.
Houston, which was coming off a 4-1 victory over Real Salt Lake, has allowed just 33 goals this season.
Vancouver — 6-2-2 in its last 10 matches overall — leads the all-time series 10-9-6.
The Whitecaps remain on the road to play the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday. The Dynamo travel to play Austin FC on Saturday.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Pearce and Nathan Saliba scored in the second half — the first goals of their careers — and CF Montreal rallied for a 2-2 draw with the New England Revolution on Wednesday night.
“In the second half, the guys came out a little more ambitious and above all, more connected,” Montreal head coach Laurent Courtois said. “It was a great second half of resilience and fighting spirit. Nathan and Sam were impressive.
“Impressive in covering the gaps and compensating for the teammates, and the individual defending – yes it’s true, it is a lot of weight on their shoulders, but that’s the job.”
New England (8-16-4) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute on Bobby Wood’s third goal of the season. Teenage defender Peyton Miller notched his first assist in his fourth career start and sixth appearance and Carles Gil picked up his ninth of the season. Peyton, at 16 years, 315 days old, is the eighth youngest player in league history to record his first assist.
The Revolution took a two-goal lead in the 35th minute and held it through halftime when 19-year-old Esmir Bajraktarevic took a pass from Gil and scored his third goal of the season and career in his first full season in the league. It was the 73rd regular-season assist in Gil’s career, tying him with Steve Ralston for the most in club history.
Montreal (7-12-10) pulled within a goal in the 54th minute when Pearce scored off a free kick after defender George Campbell drew a foul on New England’s Mark-Anthony Kaye. It was the first goal for Pearce in his third career start and fourth appearance.
“Playoffs are the goal. Maybe it wasn’t in the best form, but in the end, we are picking up a point,” Pearce said. “We came into this game confident, ready to play our own game. Everyone tries their best, whenever the players are called on, we are always ready, and we are always giving it our best.”
Montreal scored the equalizer in the 68th minute on the first career goal by Saliba, a 20-year-old midfielder. Saliba has made 34 starts and 48 appearances with Montreal in his two seasons in the league. Campbell snagged his second assist of the season and the third of his career.
“It’s an incredible feeling, it’s a goal I’ve been waiting for a long time. I’m extremely happy that I was able to score it and that it can help the team take this important point on the road,” Saliba said. “Pearce’s first goal gave us really good momentum and we kept up the pressure to go for a second goal. We got more solid defensively, and we came back ready after halftime, to push for these 3 points.”
Aljaz Ivacic finished with four saves in goal for the Revolution.
Jonathan Sirois stopped four shots for Montreal.
New England beat Montreal 5-0 on the road on Aug. 24.
New England leads the all-time series 16-13-4. Montreal improves to 5-8-2 on the road against the Revs.
The Revolution travel to take on Charlotte FC on Saturday. Montreal returns home to host the Chicago Fire on Saturday.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Adolis García hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning, Cody Bradford pitched seven strong innings after the worst start of his career, and the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 on Wednesday night.
The win kept the defending World Series-champion Rangers alive in the AL West race, trailing first-place Houston by 10 games with 10 to play.
García launched an inside sinker over the left-field wall off Toronto starter Bowden Francis (8-5) after Wyatt Langford singled.
“He swings hard, he swings a lot,” Francis said of García. “I guess the velo was dropping during that time.”
Bradford (6-3) allowed five hits and no walks while striking out six.
The seven shutout innings are the most in a game during his two-year career. He was knocked out of his previous start after allowing career highs in hits (nine), runs (eight) and homers (three) in 3 2/3 innings in a 14-4 loss at Arizona.
“Throughout the week, you’ve got to try and digest what happened, see where I can make adjustments, whether it was just game plan went wrong or just poor execution, or a little bit of both,” Bradford said. “Then you flush it.”
Bradford was perfect through four innings before Alejandro Kirk opened the fifth with a smash back to the mound that caromed off Bradford’s left foot and rolled into right field for a single. It extended Kirk’s hitting streak to a career-high 12 games.
Spencer Horwitz’s double to left-center put runners on second and third with no outs before Bradford retired the next three batters.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider credited Bradford’s “deceptive fastball.”
“When you’re throwing 89, 92, you’ve got to have pretty good deception with that at this level,” Schneider said. “Kept us off balance.”
Kirby Yates pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 31st save in 32 opportunities.
Francis, who took no-hitters into the ninth inning in two of his previous four starts, allowed a double to Marcus Semien, the Rangers’ first hitter of the game. He gave up five hits and one walk in six innings.
Francis has a 1.96 ERA in nine starts with 54 strikeouts and seven walks since being moved back into the starting rotation in late July.
“I don’t even want to get complacent, on cruise control,” Francis said. “Just keep attacking.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette was a late scratch with a right middle finger contusion suffered during infield practice. Schneider said the team will get back x-rays on Thursday. Bichette was activated Tuesday following a calf injury and played for the first time in two months, going 2 for 5 with one RBI at the plate. … INF Will Wagner (left knee inflammation) will have the knee scoped on Thursday. Schneider said Wagner should be ready to start spring training. Wagner, son of former major leaguer Billy Wagner, was acquired from Houston at the trade deadline.
UP NEXT
Rangers rookie RHP Kumar Rocker (0-0, 2.25 ERA) will make his home debut against Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (12-11, 4.02) in the series finale. Rocker allowed one run in four innings at Seattle last Thursday in his major league debut.
