A senior U.S. military figure has agreed to have tough conversations with Canada about defence spending when he takes over a binational military body.
Lt.-Gen. Gregory Guillot was speaking during a U.S. Senate hearing Wednesday to confirm his nomination as the next head of North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD).
His comments came after a Republican senator chastised, at length, what he called Canada’s insufficient military spending and said he hoped there were Canadians watching the hearing.
“Can you commit to us to having those tough conversations with your Canadian counterparts?” Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska asked the nominee.
“Yes, senator, you can count on me to do that,” Guillot replied.
If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, as expected, Guillot will become commander of NORAD, the binational organization run by the U.S. and Canada that defends the continent’s airspace.
He was nominated by U.S. President Joe Biden this spring, but it’s unclear when he’ll officially enter the new role. A Republican senator from Alabama is stalling new military confirmations over a dispute with Biden about abortion services for U.S. troops.
Latest in flurry of criticism aimed at Canada
The hearing came amid recent scrutiny in the United States over Canada’s military spending, which is well below targets set by the NATO alliance.
A leaked document, published by the Washington Post, said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has told allies he has no intention of hitting the NATO commitment to spend two per cent of GDP.
Then came a Wall Street Journal editorial that cast Canada as a deadbeat that relies on others for its defence and doesn’t deserve to be either in NATO or the G7.
Of the 30 NATO countries, Canada is among the lowest spenders as a share of its economy, at 1.29 per cent of GDP in 2022.
But in terms of actual dollars spent, Canada, as one of the wealthier countries in the alliance, is among the top spenders.
Canada has also increased its spending significantly in recent years, by about 40 per cent between 2014 and 2021, with another 40 per cent increase projected over the next four years, according to the Parliamentary Budget Office. But that would still leave the country far short of the NATO target, at 1.59 per cent, in 2026-2027.
A radar site in Utqiagvik, Alaska, seen earlier this year. U.S. policymakers say there is an urgency to improve sensors in the Arctic as China and Russia acquire better missile systems. (Reuters)
‘I hope Canadians are watching’
In a recent NBC interview, Sullivan said the issue came up in every meeting during the recent NATO summit, with both Democrats and Republicans annoyed with Canada.
He tore into the northern neighbour during Wednesday’s hearing. The Alaska senator began by saluting U.S. alliances, calling them a major strategic advantage.
Then he cautioned that he was going to say something of questionable politeness and submitted the Wall Street Journal editorial into the congressional record, reading out bits of it, including the headline calling Canada a “military free rider.”
“All of [this] is incredibly disappointing,” Sullivan told Guillot.
Sen. Dan Sullivan, a Republican from Alaska, accused Canada of not pulling its weight. He urged the likely next NORAD commander to raise it as an issue. (Andrew Harnik/AP)
“I hope the Canadians are watching your confirmation hearing. … Can you commit to this committee that you can have discussions with the Canadians and say, ‘Hey, look, when you’re not supporting NATO, when you’re not supporting missile defence for North America, it’s actually harmful to the alliance’?
“Americans get frustrated when our allies don’t pull their weight. And with regard to NATO, Canada’s not even close to pulling its weight.”
Guillot said he would have those conversations.
Canada, for its part, has not been ready to concede that it’s not pulling its weight in NATO although sources told CBC News it has been trying to expand the definition of what can fall under the two per-cent benchmark to include spending on space, cyber and artificial intelligence.
At the alliance’s summit earlier this month, Canadian officials told reporters that the two per cent metric wasn’t raised with them at the meeting.
At the summit, Canada announced it would double its troop commitment to Latvia, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau highlighted the fact that, in absolute terms, the country spends more on defence than almost anyone.
“There’s lots of different math that can be applied in different ways,” he said after the summit.
Biden has so far stayed quiet
At Wednesday’s hearing, Canada’s spending also came up in relation to Arctic security. After Guillot noted that almost any major attack on the U.S. would pass through the Arctic and underlined the necessity of strong monitoring there, Sullivan again pointed to Canada.
“Hopefully, they’ll pay for that,” the Alaska senator said. “They’re not very good about paying for missile defence either. Even though we protect the whole North American continent.”
Canada has, in fact, not joined the U.S. missile defence system or paid for its interceptors. However, it does maintain radar that tracks incoming objects as part of that system.
Canada has, indeed, promised to spend $38.6 billion over 20 years to modernize its northern military infrastructure, from secure storage areas for fighter jets to new radar systems.
The U.S. has been pushing for an accelerated spending timetable.
But one military procurement expert said it’s notable that Biden has avoided applying that pressure in public – unlike his predecessors, Donald Trump and Barack Obama.
“They’re not frustrated enough to be public about it in the way that past administrations, both Republican and Democrat, have done,” said David Perry, president of the Calgary-based Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
“And if they aren’t frustrated enough to be public about it, the evidence seems to show that the Canadian government isn’t going to feel compelled to react to that in any particular way.”
Washington’s focus: Better intelligence over the Arctic
Perry said Washington, at this point, would just be happy to see Canada focus its spending on one or two areas where it can make a difference, with Arctic security top of that list.
Canadian officials have said they’re limited in how fast they can accelerate the NORAD modernization plan, as some technology being purchased is still under development.
Perry said, however, that this reasoning is largely irrelevant as less than one-fifth of the spending, having to do with new radar, involves technology yet to be developed.
Trudeau says Canada will ‘continue to step up’ on military spending
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pointed to Canada’s spending on NORAD modernization and NATO on Thursday, a day after a U.S. senator slammed Canada’s record on military spending.
At the hearing Wednesday, Guillot said the U.S. military is worried about its adversaries’ growing capabilities; in the past, NORAD’s defence was primarily focused on intercontinental ballistic missiles, but, he said, it’s now worried about a growing array of technologies.
He specifically mentioned hypersonic weapons. He called them the greatest military challenge the U.S. faces and said the U.S. is trying hard to keep up with its competitors, China and Russia.
Washington has been unnerved by increasingly sophisticated Chinese hypersonic missiles believed to be capable of evading U.S. radar and of striking positions thousands of kilometres away in the Pacific, currently as far as Hawaii.
“Our adversaries are growing at a very fast rate,” Guillot said.
Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot has announced he will be out for the rest of the CFL season.
The Delta, B.C., native posted the news on his Instagram page Thursday.
“To Be Continued. Shoutout my team, the fans of the CFL and the whole city of Montreal! I can’t wait to be back healthy and write this next chapter in 2025,” the statement read.
Philpot, 24, injured his foot in a 33-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Aug. 10 and was placed on the six-game injured list the next week.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound receiver had 58 receptions, 779 yards and five touchdowns in nine games for the league-leading Alouettes in his third season.
Philpot scored the game-winning touchdown in Montreal’s Grey Cup win last season to punctuate a six-reception, 63-yard performance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion for the third time in his NFL career, leaving his team’s game Thursday night against Buffalo after running into defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf.
Tagovailoa remained down for about two minutes before getting to his feet and walking to the sideline after the play in the third quarter. He made his way to the tunnel not long afterward, looking into the stands before smiling and departing toward the locker room.
The Dolphins needed almost no time before announcing it was a concussion. The team said he had two during the 2022 season, and Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion when he was a college player at Alabama.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa would get “proper procedural evaluation” and “appropriate care” on Friday.
“The furthest thing from my mind is, ‘What is the timeline?’ We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate, like the rest of the guys are,” McDaniel said. “We’ll get more information tomorrow and take it day by day from here.”
Some players saw Tagovailoa in the locker room after the game and said they were encouraged. Tagovailoa spoke with some players and then went home after the game, McDaniel said.
“I have a lot of love for Tua, built a great relationship with him,” said quarterback Skylar Thompson, who replaced Tagovailoa after the injury. “You care about the person more than the player and everybody in the organization would say the same thing. Just really praying for Tua and hopefully everything will come out all right.”
Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season — a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL — and was the NFL’s leading passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, and that was the final score.
“If you know Tua outside of football, you can’t help but feel for him,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said on Amazon following the game. “He’s a great football player but he’s an even greater human being. He’s one of the best humans on the planet. I’ve got a lot of love for him and I’m just praying for him and his family, hoping everything’s OK. But it’s tough, man. This game of football that we play, it’s got its highs and it’s got its lows — and this is one of the lows.”
Tagovailoa’s college years and first three NFL seasons were marred by injury, though he positioned himself for a big pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023 as he led the Dolphins into the playoffs. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards last year.
When, or if, he can come back this season is anyone’s guess. Tagovailoa said in April 2023 that the concussions he had in the 2022 season left him contemplating his playing future. “I think I considered it for a time,” he said then, when asked if he considered stepping away from the game to protect himself.
McDaniel said it’s not his place to say if Tagovailoa should return to football. “He’ll be evaluated and we’ll have conversations and progress as appropriate,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa was hurt Thursday on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left in the third. He went straight ahead into Hamlin and did not slide, leading with his right shoulder instead.
Hamlin was the player who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday night game in January 2023 at Cincinnati, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Tagovailoa wound up on his back, both his hands in the air and Bills players immediately pointed at him as if to suggest there was an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly did the same, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa appeared to be making a fist with his right hand as he lay on the ground. It was movement consistent with something that is referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury.
Tagovailoa eventually got to his feet. McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed. Thompson came into the game to take Tagovailoa’s spot.
“I love Tua on and off the football field,” Bills edge Von Miller said. “I’m a huge fan of him. I can empathize and sympathize with him because I’ve been there. I wish him the best.”
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a huge part of the story of his career, and now comes to the forefront once again.
He had at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was hurt in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, though he appeared disoriented on that play but returned to the game.
The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — he must sit out the rest of the game.
Less than a week later, in a Thursday night game at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the field on a stretcher.
His second known concussion of that season came in a December game against Green Bay, and he didn’t play for the rest of the 2022 season. After that, Tagovailoa began studying ways where he may be able to fall more safely and protect himself against further injury — including studying jiu-jitsu.
“I’m not worried about anything that’s out of my hands,” McDaniel said. “I’m just worried about the human being.”
NEW YORK (AP) — When her husband turns on the television to hear news about the upcoming presidential election, that’s often a signal for Lori Johnson Malveaux to leave the room.
It can get to be too much. Often, she’ll go to a TV in another room to watch a movie on the Hallmark Channel or BET. She craves something comforting and entertaining. And in that, she has company.
While about half of Americans say they are following political news “extremely” or “very” closely, about 6 in 10 say they need to limit how much information they consume about the government and politics to avoid feeling overloaded or fatigued, according to a new survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts.
Make no mistake: Malveaux plans to vote. She always does. “I just get to the point where I don’t want to hear the rhetoric,” she said.
The 54-year-old Democrat said she’s most bothered when she hears people on the news telling her that something she saw with her own eyes — like the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol — didn’t really happen.
“I feel like I’m being gaslit. That’s the way to put it,” she said.
Sometimes it feels like ‘a bombardment’
Caleb Pack, 23, a Republican from Ardmore, Oklahoma, who works in IT, tries to keep informed through the news feeds on his phone, which is stocked with a variety of sources, including CNN, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press.
Yet sometimes, Pack says, it seems like a bombardment.
“It’s good to know what’s going on, but both sides are pulling a little bit extreme,” he said. “It just feels like it’s a conversation piece everywhere, and it’s hard to escape it.”
Media fatigue isn’t a new phenomenon. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in late 2019 found roughly two in three Americans felt worn out by the amount of news there is, about the same as in a poll taken in early 2018. During the 2016 presidential campaign, about 6 in 10 people felt overloaded by campaign news.
But it can be particularly acute with news related to politics. The AP-NORC/USAFacts poll found that half of Americans feel a need to limit their consumption of information related to crime or overseas conflicts, while only about 4 in 10 are limiting news about the economy and jobs.
It’s easy to understand, with television outlets like CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC full of political talk and a wide array of political news online, sometimes complicated by disinformation.
“There’s a glut of information,” said Richard Coffin, director of research and advocacy for USAFacts, “and people are having a hard time figuring out what is true or not.”
Women are more likely to feel they need to limit media
In the AP-NORC poll, about 6 in 10 men said they follow news about elections and politics at least “very” closely, compared to about half of women. For all types of news, not just politics, women are more likely than men to report the need to limit their media consumption, the survey found.
White adults are also more likely than Black or Hispanic adults to say they need to limit media consumption on politics, the poll found.
Kaleb Aravzo, 19, a Democrat, gets a baseline of news by listening to National Public Radio in the morning at home in Logan, Utah. Too much politics, particularly when he’s on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram, can trigger anxiety and depression.
“If it pops up on my page when I’m on social media,” he said, “I’ll just scroll past it.”
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Sanders reported from Washington. David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder.
The AP poll of 1,019 adults was conducted July 29-August 8, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.
