Troops of Latvia, Canada, Italy and Spain take part in the exercise Resolute Warrior of the NATO Multinational Brigade in the Adazi Military Base in Adazi, Latvia, on Nov. 14.GINTS IVUSKANS/AFP/Getty Images
Ann Fitz-Gerald is the director of the Balsillie School of International Affairs. Halyna Padalko is a fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation.
Donald Trump’s imminent return to the White House comes with a sobering reminder of his February statement encouraging Russia to target NATO allies whose national defence spending does not meet NATO’s 2-per-cent guideline. Mr. Trump’s statement underscores the urgent need for Ottawa to take a stronger, more independent role in global defence. This direction should reflect Canadian values, bolster the economy, reassure our allies, and build essential capabilities to address both conventional and unconventional threats.
Canadians want this, too. Public attitudes toward national defence are shifting as more and more Canadians recognize the growing need for military preparedness and global assertiveness. Over the past decade, those prioritizing military readiness rose from 12 per cent to 29 per cent, and 53 per cent of Canadians now back increasing defence spending to NATO’s 2 per cent of GDP target. With economic challenges ahead, achieving this target will require aligning defence with prosperity goals.
The numbers tell an important story. Canadians are not complacent to the shifting global landscape and the rising threats from authoritarian states. They see what is happening worldwide and support the idea that Canada must keep its military and defence capabilities strong. Yet in practice, as the only country among the 31-member alliance that has not met either of NATO’s investment pledges, Canada remains an outlier in meeting its defence commitments. This underinvestment paints Canada as a “free rider” and helps explain its exclusion from military alliances like AUKUS.
Despite repeated warnings from allies, successive Canadian governments have failed to take concrete steps to build necessary defence capabilities. Canada’s 2024 Defence Policy Update remains only vaguely committal and devoid of a clear plan of action. A recent report by the Parliamentary Budget Officer asserts that to meet NATO’s 2-per-cent target, defence spending would need to almost double from current levels.
General Wayne Eyre, the former chief of defence staff, warned last year that the world is “more chaotic and dangerous than at any time since the end of the Cold War” and argued that rising threats from authoritarian states could bring the world to “peak threat” by the end of this decade. His successor, General Jennie Carignan, has echoed this sentiment, emphasizing this summer that Canada and its allies may have as little as five years to prepare for emerging threats, including advanced missile technology from countries like China and Russia.
Threats to Canada’s defence go beyond the traditional battlefield. In the era of hybrid warfare, cyberattacks and psychological operations are as dangerous as military force. Canadians recognize these risks; 84 per cent are worried about the impact of disinformation. Canada’s diverse but fragmented society, which has been exploited by foreign actors to create division and increase polarization makes us more vulnerable. Foreign interference is intensifying, highlighted by recent high-profile cases in both the Canada and the United States.
Canada must adopt a multifaceted approach to these challenges. Beyond boosting military spending, it needs to invest in strategic communications, community resilience and countering information warfare. Many European defence ministries retain the lead on strategic communications to support more cohesive responses to growing threats. Building cohesion around this function in Canada could involve setting up dedicated centres to analyze information environments and foreign networks so as to counter foreign influence and guide policy. Supporting AI-based start-ups and community programs that resist disinformation is essential for protecting Canada’s democracy and strengthening its economic infrastructure.
The goal should not simply be to match our allies in terms of defence spending, but to lead by example in building a resilient society that is capable of withstanding both conventional and unconventional threats. Beyond tanks and missiles, the required capability should encompass everything from cybersecurity infrastructure to public awareness campaigns. Such efforts would help strengthen a renewed Canadian identity and social fabric, which has been eroding quickly over recent years.
It is time for Canada to step up. With the world growing more dangerous, Canadians are beginning to understand the need for a strong military – not as a tool of aggression, but as a means of safeguarding our values and place in the world.
As the battle-space widens, and with global conflicts playing out on Canadian soil, we have no other option but to invest in our armed forces’ capability to resist threats, and to ensure that Canada remains a reliable ally and a strong voice on the world stage.
The opportunity is there. As more and more Canadians call for it, it would be irresponsible not to seize it.