Facing U.S. President Donald Trump’s ongoing criticism about military spending, Defence Minister Bill Blair says it’s “absolutely achievable” for Canada to meet NATO’s military investment benchmark of two per cent of gross domestic product within two years.
That accelerated timeline to hit the target by 2027 is about five years earlier than what prime minister Justin Trudeau announced in July.
“My goal is to do it as quickly as possible and I’m increasingly confident we’ll be able to,” Blair said in response to questions from CBC News.
Canada is among eight NATO allies out of 30 that are estimated to be falling short of the target and has faced persistent criticism from allies. According to a NATO report from last year, Canada was estimated to spend roughly 1.37 per cent of GDP in 2024.
Defence Minister Bill Blair says it could take ‘as much as two years to get to that level of capability.’ Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last summer that he expected Canada to reach the alliance’s defence spending target by 2032.
Blair’s comment comes after questions from CBC News following Trump for the first time used an international stage to suggest Canada should become a U.S. state.Â
During a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday, Trump said he will be pushing all NATO countries including Canada to increase military spending to five per cent of GDP. The U.S. spends 3.4 per cent of its GDP on defence spending and no other ally is anywhere close to that target.
While threatening tariffs, Trump has also said that he would use “economic” force, not military, to join Canada and the U.S. together.Â
“You get rid of the artificially drawn line and you take a look at what that looks like and it would also be much better national security. Don’t forget: We basically protect Canada,” Trump said at a news conference in Florida on Jan. 7.Â
Blair said how soon Canada can hit that target will depend on when the government has the funding, and that trying to speed up defence spending isn’t entirely because of Trump’s comments.Â
“To attribute it only in response to a particular individual, I think, is wrong,” said Blair. “We have been working hard to accelerate that spending to get the job done as quickly as possible. But that’s in Canada’s national interests, it’s not just in response to threats made by what we’ve always considered our closest ally and friend.”
Trudeau told NATO leaders this past summer the government was on track to hit the NATO spending target by 2032. That official deadline hasn’t changed, Blair’s office said, but the minister’s focus is on trying to accelerate that timeline by completing individual projects faster one by one.
His office said those projects include contracts for submarines, ammunition and support for members like housing and child care. The Canadian Armed Forces, which is facing a staffing crisis, will also need the personnel in place to operate it all, Blair’s office said.Â
“I think it’s absolutely achievable that we can get to that level of expenditure. It’s got to be done responsibility,” said Blair.Â
Dave Perry, president and CEO of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, says internationally reaction has been that Canada’s 2032 timeline is “too long.” He said a 2027 timeline is “a lot more reasonable.”
“But for Minister Blair to do that, he’s going to need money and both substantial and significant change in the way the Government of Canada operates when it comes to approving the injection of resources he’s talking about,” he said.
Perry said the government would have to overhaul the mechanics of how it operates to move away from the rules, cut red tape and change its mindset to invest more money quickly into the forces.Â
Trudeau defended his government’s record on Thursday, saying defence spending has almost tripled since he took office in 2015. He said the government will continue to work with NATO members to “make sure we’re doing everything necessary to keep Canada safe.”