Canada’s plan to buy 12 new submarines, announced during the recent North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Washington, may have eased the pressure on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau amid criticism from Canada’s closest allies that it has become a freeloader in the alliance.
Going into the summit, Canada was the only NATO member without a clear plan to meet its commitment to spend 2 per cent of its economic output on defence. While the Trudeau government has taken important, if belated, steps toward this goal, Canada is still years away from reaching the target – the goal is by 2032, Mr. Trudeau said on Thursday – unlike the 23 NATO members that will do so in 2024.
They had best postpone hostilities. Few will volunteer to fight under Trudeau.
